Currently sitting fifth in the Tour de France despite helping Chris Froome, the race’s maillot jaune, Geraint Thomas may have been racing the Tour de France for MTN-Qhubeka this summer if the African team had got their man in the winter.
The African team’s manager Brian Smith asked Dave Brailsford, Sky’s manager, to loan the team Thomas for ne year so they could have a rider in the top ten overall.
“I am a fan of Geraint Thomas,” Smith said. “I thought, ‘If they are going in for Froome, why don’t you give Geraint an opportunity?’
“I just got in touch with Dave as a friend, and said, ‘What’s the opportunities?’ Just a loan for one year, predominately so that we could get in the Tour, because if you sign him, you are in the Tour, and get into the top 10.”
“I knew he could do this [type of ride] already, that’s while I was trying to do something with Sky and Dave Brailsford. I just think of what he could have done if he wasn’t doing all that hard work for Froome. He’s a talent.”
Meanwhile, Smith is looking to sign an experienced climber this offseason to go with youngsters Louis Meintjes and Merhawi Kudus. So far the young duo only really have Serge Pauwels in the mountains.
“I need someone else to support these guys [Louis Meintjes and Merhawi Kudus] in the mountains and help them because we can’t see everything in the team car. Serge has been great, but looking forward, we have to have strength in that area to help these kids.”
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