Teams & Riders Geraint Thomas

[Cance > TheRest]

Sending Tour de France winner Thomas to the Giro would be a disaster. Similar to Wiggo's "attempt". They won't make that mistake again IMO.

What are the reasons for thinking that it will be a "disaster"? Sure, Wiggins failed, but what does that have to with a potential attempt by Thomas?

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

What are the reasons for thinking that it will be a "disaster"? Sure, Wiggins failed, but what does that have to with a potential attempt by Thomas?

He's already won the biggest prize, by far. A Giro win is a huge step back in terms of prestige (in the real world). Motivation would be an issue, IMO.

 

[Escarabajo]

Maybe he reads the forum after all:

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ge...world-championships-time-trial-and-road-race/

 

[Cance > TheRest]

He's already won the biggest prize, by far. A Giro win is a huge step back in terms of prestige (in the real world). Motivation would be an issue, IMO.

But that wasn't really Wiggins' problem, was it? IfThomas cannot be motivated to go for the 2nd biggest stage race in the world, then he truly has a motivational problem and should consider quitting cycling. He knows that with his age he is not going to break any records of most Tour wins, so he should really try and go for the other two instead, so he can at least say that he won all three.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

But that wasn't really Wiggins' problem, was it? IfThomas cannot be motivated to go for the 2nd biggest stage race in the world, then he truly has a motivational problem and should consider quitting cycling. He knows that with his age he is not going to break any records of most Tour wins, so he should really try and go for the other two instead, so he can at least say that he won all three.

a GT "Grand Slam" is rather meaningless, if you can win another TDF. Cycling isn't like tennis. Thomas showed that he could win another Tour. He wasn't that far off, despite the set-backs in his prep.

He could aim for an Olympic gold medal instead, but I don't think a possible Giro win will be his main priority. Plus Ineos already have a Giro captain in Carapaz, anyway...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Maybe he reads the forum after all:

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ge...world-championships-time-trial-and-road-race/

They intend to hold a large pole from the team car with a cold beer dangling in front of him for the ITT.
Dennis, Campenaerts, Roglic and Evenepoel don't have to start.

 

[Leinster]

Normally I'd agree, but for a few things: He essentially missed a full mountain stage at the end of the Tour because of the weather; his workload ahead of the Tour was light; and I think given how the Vuelta panned out, he would have been at least the equal of Pogacar and maybe even Valverde -- he definitely would have been better than Lopez and Quintana. I just don't think he'll have many more GT shots where he'd be anything more than Plan B.

Thomas has only ever finished 2GTs in the same season once in his career. He came 15th in the Tour which Froome won, and followed that up with 69th in the Vuelta without ever showing his face, in a race where Froome and Roche were both high up on gc early on, and Roche won a stage.

Even allowing for his “winning the Tour without ever being top 10 before” performance last year, it’s a big stretch to say he could have done any better at the Vuelta than the riders Ineos did send.

 

[Leinster]

He's already won the biggest prize, by far. A Giro win is a huge step back in terms of prestige (in the real world). Motivation would be an issue, IMO.

Ask Nibali to hand back his Maglia Rosa from 2016, then. I dare you.

 

[Red Rick]

Ask Nibali to hand back his Maglia Rosa from 2016, then. I dare you.

"I am not afraid to win.

I am not afraid to lose

I am not afraid to *** you up"

 

[AQETUYIOI]

Froome entered and won the Giro, after winning multiple Tours/Vuelta(s)?

 

[Blanco]

a GT "Grand Slam" is rather meaningless, if you can win another TDF. Cycling isn't like tennis. Thomas showed that he could win another Tour. He wasn't that far off, despite the set-backs in his prep.

He could aim for an Olympic gold medal instead, but I don't think a possible Giro win will be his main priority. Plus Ineos already have a Giro captain in Carapaz, anyway...

Is that why Froome tried for years to win La Vuelta? And then after he won, he went to Il Giro, jeopardizing his 5th !!! Tour win?!

Not to mention Hinault and his 1983 Vuelta!

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Is that why Froome tried for years to win La Vuelta? And then after he won, he went to Il Giro, jeopardizing his 5th !!! Tour win?!

Not to mention Hinault and his 1983 Vuelta!

The Vuelta was always an afterthought for Froome.

As for the Giro, Israel paid him a couple million dollars

Report: Israel pays € 2 million to renowned cyclist to participate in Giro d'Italia

Israel reportedly agrees to pay € 2 million to Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome so he would participate in the 2018 Giro d'Italia bicycle race scheduled to start in Israel.

www.ynetnews.com

Plus, Froome wasn't sure to race the Tour at that point, seeing as he was involved in an unresolved doping case. ASO wasn't all that keen to have him at the start.

 

[Red Rick]

You guys wanna get me started on the field that finished the Tour?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Not riding the ITT!

 

[Red Rick]

Not riding the ITT!

Should've put the finish in a pub

 

[oldcrank]

Only fitting that the top two at the Nationals ride the World's. And worth noting that "Katie's brother" set the British IP record earlier this year at the Medal Factory with a 4:09.584 ... significantly faster than SuperG OBE, Sir Brad or Chris Boardman MBE ever rode. Also worth noting that Wiggo and Chris both won UCI ITT titles.

 

[Angelo1985]

I think he's scared of his status if he loses by a couple of minutes against Remco.

 

[Pricey_sky]

I think he's scared of his status if he loses by a couple of minutes against Remco.

I doubt it, more like he cannot be bothered if he isn’t able to produce his best.

My main issue is why isn’t he on form for a home world championships, having not done anything of note since the Tour ended 2 months ago. With his schedule this year he could have been in very good shape this week.

 

[Red Rick]

I doubt it, more like he cannot be bothered if he isn’t able to produce his best.

My main issue is why isn’t he on form for a home world championships, having not done anything of note since the Tour ended 2 months ago. With his schedule this year he could have been in very good shape this week.

Same thing last year too. Had a Worlds where he had a shot at both the RR and the ITT, didn't even bother

 

[Pricey_sky]

Same thing last year too. Had a Worlds where he had a shot at both the RR and the ITT, didn't even bother

Yes agreed, though at least last year he had the excuse of winning the Tour, and all the partying that followed. Is he really that happy to just be somewhere near his best for only 3 weeks per year at this stage of his career?

If that’s the case he’s not going to win another race.

 

[Red Rick]

Yes agreed, though at least last year he had the excuse of winning the Tour, and all the partying that followed. Is he really that happy to just be somewhere near his best for only 3 weeks per year at this stage of his career?

If that’s the case he’s not going to win another race.

He's actually never done anything big after the Tour. So apart from racing in the spring when he was a July domestique, apparently yes.

 

[yaco]

It's disappointing that with his lack of preparation since the 2018 TDF that he managed a 2nd at the 2019 TDF - I suspect this may be a false dawn.

 

[Rollthedice]

He's a bit like Eric Clapton with Cream, pretty good but clueless, didn't enjoy the ride to the top and then he gave up, heroin and booze seemed more entertaining.

 

[tobydawq]

I don't think he has been taking heroin.

 

[Breezy1985]

I don't think he has been taking heroin.

Claptons also an awful racist which I'm pretty sure Thomas aint