Geraint Thomas confirms ‘road will decide’ Ineos Grenadiers leadership play at Tour de France
Thomas heads to Tour with open role as part of multi-rider tactic: 'Whether I stay up on GC to play another card, go for stages, help other guys ... whatever'
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Geraint Thomas won the Tour de Suisse and hit top-speed as Ineos Grenadiers pedals toward the Tour de France.
The 2018 Tour de France champion will line up in Copenhagen next month as part of a typically deep Ineos team likely to be led by the COVID-struck Adam Yates and Colombian climber Daniel Martínez.
Thomas confirmed after claiming his Swiss win Sunday that Ineos Grenadiers will stick to its typical Tour script by letting the story write itself on the roads toward Paris.
“I just want to go there and race hard and do what I can,” Thomas said Sunday.
“We’ve got two other leaders on the team. Whether I stay up on GC for a while to play another card, go for stages, or help other guys … whatever. I’m happy to do whatever. I’ll take my chance for sure if it comes, I’ll help the boys if I have to.”
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Ineos Grenadiers is under pressure to reclaim its Tour de France throne this summer.
After winning seven yellow jerseys in eight years, Tadej Pogačar spoiled the party with his blazing ride to dominance in recent seasons.
Primož Roglič likewise followed his countryman to the top of the GC pack, leaving Ineos Grenadiers challenging with Egan Bernal and Richard Carapaz.
Ineos Grenadiers hasn’t yet confirmed its “Tour eight,” but Thomas’ canny ride through Switzerland this week and blazing performance in the closing TT on Sunday books his ticket back to the race he won four years ago.
“As a team, for sure we can compete with Roglič and Pogačar at the Tour,” Thomas said. “Man versus man is a different story. They’re super talents, as we know, they’ve been MVPs the last couple of years.
“But we’ve got a strong team, just got to stay healthy now. We’re all motivated and we’re just going to go there and give our best.”
Pogačar just crushed the Tour of Slovenia. Jumbo-Visma dominated the Critérium du Dauphiné. Thomas, Yates and Martínez will be braced.
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| |pic.twitter.com/KeHDnOsQlo— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) June 19, 2022