Geraint Thomas was unable to stay with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegard (Jumbo-Visma) in Col de Val Louron-Azet and on the final climb to the Peyragudes altiport finish, yet he managed to cement his third place overall at the Tour de France as his podium rivals suffered even more and fared even worse.
Thomas lost 2:07 to Pogačar, who outsprinted Vingegaard on the 13% finish, but the Ineos Grenadiers rider gained more than a minute on his GC rivals.
He is now 4:56 down on Vingegaard and 2:38 down on Pogačar but Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) slipped to 7:53 down on Vingegaard. He is 2:57 down on Thomas and surely no longer a threat to the Welshman’s podium place.
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Thomas only has to survive Thursday’s final mountain stage in the Pyrenees and can perhaps gain further time in Saturday’s 40.7km final time trial.
“I felt alright but I didn’t feel quite as light on the pedals as I have done earlier in the race. I wasn’t feeling in top shape today,” Thomas admitted after taking a long drink and realising he still had to climb at least a kilometre to the Ineos Grenadiers team bus parked above the finish area.
“I was there but made the call to wait for the group behind. I didn’t want to go into the red and then risk blowing on the way up here and maybe losing more time. I saved my legs a bit and so was able to ride at a solid pace all the way to the line.”
Thomas suffered on the penultimate climb at Col de Val Louron-Azet after Mikkel Bjerg set an infernal pace for Pogačar and shredded the GC group. Then Brandon McNulty took over and reduced the group to just four riders: himself, Pogačar, Vingegaard and Thomas.
Thomas was able to stay with them until 2.5km from the summit of the Col de Val Louron-Azet.
“I didn’t expect that, especially from Bjerg. He put in a hell of a shift for the rider he is,” Thomas said.
“It was cracking me that he could hurt me so much on a climb. Fair goes to them, they took it on. Pogačar won, he deserved that because they took it on.”
Thomas seemed to accept third place overall and a place on the final podium in Paris but will keep racing hard and stay vigilant on Thursday’s final mountain finish at Hautacam.
“It's a hard one now, isn’t it?” he admitted, his hopes of winning the Tour de France having faded.
“I was two minutes down today. They’re super strong as we all know. But it’s nice to be in the mix and tomorrow is another day.”
