Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) was one of a number of riders forced out of the Tour de France yesterday after he crashed on the treacherous descent off the Col de la Biche on the ninth stage from Nantua to Chambery.
Thomas, who was sitting in second place overall at the start of the stage, was diagnosed with a broken collarbone, and will undergo an operation later this week. He says he is unsure at this stage as to what his programme will be after he returns to racing.
It was the second Grand Tour this year that Thomas was forced to pull out of after also crashing in the Giro d’Italia on stage 9 and abandoning two days later due to a worsening knee injury.
In this year’s Tour, Thomas won the opening 14-kilometre time-trial to become the first Welshman to wear the yellow jersey.
Geraint Thomas: “It still hasn’t really sunk in. I’m sure it will be like the Giro and when I get home is when it really hits home so to speak. When you start seeing results and getting the Team Sky text messages through about who has done what on the stage. The show goes on pretty quickly. So I think it will hit me tomorrow and in a few days’ time.”
At the moment it’s more just the devastation of leaving the Tour – but obviously you’ve got to remember and savour the good times because they are rare in this sport. For sure in a week or so or once the Tour is over I’ll look back on those good bits. But for the moment it’s still pretty raw.
“It’s all learning I guess and it’s given me the confidence in the training I’ve been doing. All that hard work has got me into the position to do well. I didn’t fully reap the benefits of it but I can still take a lot from that.”
“I’m going to see a specialist on Tuesday and get it operated on this week. I’ll have a week off and then I should be back on the turbo trainer. I’m in no massive rush to get back anyway. We’ll decide what the programme will be in a week or so’s time once the dust has settled.”
He’s one of my favourite riders and personalities .. Lets hope he makes a good speedy recovery.