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Geraint Thomas is clearly not allowing the troubles Team SKLy are facing off the bike affect him as he stormed to a brilliant solo victory in Tirreno-Adriatico today.

 

Geraint Thomas temporarily lifted the gloom surrounding Team Sky today with a masterful display on stage two of Tirreno Adriatico in Italy.

The Welshman took back some of the time he lost in yesterday’s opening day test against the clock by soloing to victory in Pomarance after distancing a clutch of around 40 riders behind.

Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) led the field home for second with world champion Peter Sagan (Bora Hansgrohe) rounding out the podium.

After the disappointment of that time trial, Thomas was thrilled with the team’s response.
“Obviously it wasn’t a good day yesterday but I was feeling good today and we just wanted to attack the stage.
“We know every day we have the chance to win stages now so we thought let’s just race each day full gas.
“Thanks to Kwiato (Michal Kwiatkowski), he gave me a bit of freedom at the end and said to have a go if I was feeling good.”

Thomas trimmed the deficit to race leader Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) to 1:22 and as BMC won yesterday’s team time-trial they occupy the first four spots on GC.

Rohan Dennis, Tejay Van Garderen and Damiano Caruso all on the same time but with almost 30 riders within a minute of the Belgian he knows better than to be complacent with four road stages and a 10-kilometre time trial remaining.

Ryan Mullen is the sole Irish rider in the race and he finished 142nd in a group 12:42 down on the stage winner.

The Cannondale-Drapac man has teammates Simon Clarke and Rigoberto Uran for the general classification, though after a below-par test yesterday they are both 1:17 down overall.

Tomorrow’s stage takes the riders 204 kilometres from Monterotondo Marittimo to Montalto di Castro and there are two climbs around the midway point, both reaching an elevation of around 500 metres but nothing that should prevent a bunch sprint.