Geraint Thomas has expressed his enthusiasm after the current announcement that Scotland will host the Grand Départ for the primary time in biking historical past whereas each males’s and ladies’s Excursions de France are set to begin within the UK in 2027.
The Welshman has launched into his last racing season earlier than he’s set to retire on the finish of 2025 however fondly recalled competing on the Tour de France’s begins in London in 2007 and once more in Yorkshire in 2014.
The 2018 Tour de France champion mentioned he hopes the UK begin in 2027 will get extra youth within the sport of biking.
“It’s tremendous thrilling and particular to have the Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2027 within the UK,” Thomas mentioned in a press launch issued by his group Ineos Granadiers on Sunday.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to be a part of two British Grand Départs already, one in London and one up in Yorkshire. There’s a stage in Wales and that’s nice too. I hope it’s going to encourage the following technology of children and for lots of people to get out and benefit from the Tour.”
Beginning within the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, the boys’s race will function levels in Scotland, England and Wales, although precise particulars aren’t anticipated to be unveiled within the autumn. The ladies’s race will even begin within the UK, however the host metropolis for that Grand Départ is just not but identified and might be among the many particulars revealed later within the yr.
Nearing the top of a storied and profitable 19-year profession, Thomas is at present on a whirlwind last season the place he has already competed on the Tour Down Beneath Volta ao Algarve and was a last-minute addition to the group’s roster for Milan-San Remo this weekend.
After solely a day’s restoration, he’s now set to line up with Ineos Grenadiers on the Volta a Catalunya that begins on Monday. He joins a roster that features 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal, Laurens De Plus, Axel Laurance, Michael Leonard, Lucas Hamilton and Omar Fraile. Though Thomas has by no means received the Volta a Catalunya, he completed on the rostrum in 2021.
“I’m trying ahead to the Volta a Catalunya and to have some enjoyable with the boys. We’re going to try to be within the combine within the sprints with Axel [Laurance], and now we have Egan [Bernal] and Laurens de Plus for the climbs,” Thomas mentioned.
“I really feel a bit drained after San Remo. It took me some time to get to sleep final evening, with the caffeine and the adrenaline of racing. I’m joyful to be right here. I’ve carried out this race a number of occasions now and simply hope now we have good climate.”
His participation on the Italian Monument was his first since 2016, and he’ll undoubtedly intention to compete one final time within the greater stage races, together with his summer time program, together with one final go to to the Tour de France, nonetheless not absolutely determined.
“Realizing that is my final season simply makes every little thing particular and simpler to do. On Saturday, beneath the rain in San Remo, I used to be pondering it was going to be one of many final occasions I’m going to be chilly and moist within the rain throughout a race,” he mentioned after ending the long-lasting 289km Monument, a lot of it beneath the chilly and moist situation.
“I’m simply having fun with it as a result of now we have a particular life as professional athletes and professional cyclists, so I need to take pleasure in the previous couple of months. Afterwards, issues will get a bit extra actual in the true world.”
