Geraint Thomas said he plans to target the Tour de France next year, adding there was a sense of the “unknown” about what may have happened this year if the final two mountain stages had not been hit by bad weather.
While he stopped well short of saying he would have won
the race rather than team mate Egan Bernal, he clearly gives the impression he
was denied his full chance to win.
Bernal was on the attack on stage 19 when the race was
halted with plenty of climbing remaining towards the intended finish at Tignes.
And when the time gaps taken on the road counted for the
overall, Bernal took the yellow jersey.
The next day was the only stage left in the mountains where
the general classification may have changed, but it was ruined by being
shortened due to the adverse weather conditions.
Advertisement
It meant Bernal was effectively handed the Tour. And
though he may have won it anyway if bad weather had not intervened, Thomas was
also looking very strong.
Related News
Speaking to The Guardian newspaper today, Thomas was quick to point out that what would have happened will never be known.
“It was a shame about the cancelled stage and the
shortened day, it leaves an unknown,” he said of stage 19 and 20.
“You can’t say Egan shouldn’t have won, but there is a
bit of an unknown.”
Thomas added while Team Ineos would ride as a team during
next year’s Tour, he intended to target the race despite Bernal being the title
holder.
“I’m looking at targeting the Tour. We need to confirm it
all, to chat it through, but at the moment it’s all about the Tour again,” he
said.
“There is no point going to the Giro just to be the
leader and only being 95 per cent motivated.
“You need to be all-in. I’d love to do the Giro one year
(aiming to win) but next year what excites me is the Tour again.”
Topics
