Geraint Thomas showed again that he can be impressive in mountain stages. But the Sky rider lost over 20 minutes on stage 19 of the Tour de France to La Toussuire and finished distant from his teammate Chris Froome at the overall. This spring, he was strong at the cobbled Classics (he won the GP E3 Harelbeke and finished 3rd at the Gent Wevelgem) and now, he knows he has an ability to be competitive in the three-week races.

"This race has certainly given me a lot of confidence for the future. Even I was surprised to being fourth going into stage 19. It’s mental. I knew I was climbing well after the Tour de Suisse and in training but doing it in the biggest race in the world is incredible", the Welshman rider explained according to Cyclingnews.

Dave Brailsford thinks that the Grand Tour will be the logical next step for his rider. "I think for Geraint, it’s all about what he wants to do. We like a challenge too and so it’s going to be fascinating to see just how well he can do. But it’s totally his call. He’s got to follow his dreams and we can help him realise them." 

"He set his mind on doing well and has done the work to do it. Geraint is naturally head strong and so knows how to suffer. He showed what he can do in Paris-Nice in recent years and has nearly won it. He was second in the Tour de Suisse but people seem to have forgotten that."

Team Sky coach Rod Ellingworth shared an anecdote when he trained Geraint Thomas in the Great Britain Under 23 team. "We realised the other day that it’s ten years since Geraint first rode up the Glandon. He rode it in an Under 23 race when he was just 19. The team crashed the day before in the team time trial and Geraint took the skin off his hands. The morning after he came to the team meeting not dressed in his cycling kit. He thought his race was over but I said to him: “You don’t pedal with your bloody hands, get your kit on.” I made him start but he finished too. That showed his character.”

“He rode the Tour de France for the first time with Barloworld in 2007. I was speaking to him most nights then and he was suffering like a dog. So it’s great to see him progress so well. He’s still current Olympic team pursuit champion and so that shows his full range of talents. He’s phenomenal.”