‘It’s a three-week race, anything can happen’: Geraint Thomas insists he can still win Tour de France despite falling behind leader Jonas Vingegaard and two-time defending champion Tadej Pogacar
- Geraint Thomas believes he can still win the Tour de France from third place
- He heads into the final six stages behind Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar
- The Welshman urged: ‘Anything can happen. It’s a three-week race not 15 days’
- He thinks leader Vingegaard may struggle after two of his team-mates withdrew
Geraint Thomas believes he can still win this year’s Tour de France despite trailing formidable duo Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar.
The Welshman heads into this week’s final six stages sitting third overall – two minutes and 43 seconds behind leader Vingegaard and 21 seconds behind two-time defending champion Pogacar.
Many observers feel this week will see a two-way tussle for the yellow jersey, with Ineos Grenadiers rider Thomas left to fight for the final place on the podium.
Geraint Thomas still believes he can win the Tour de France in the final six stages this week
The Welshman is in third behind leader Jonas Vingegaard and second-place Tadej Pogacar
But speaking during the Tour’s last rest day on Monday, the 2018 winner insisted: ‘I’m not really looking behind, I’m more trying to move forward.
‘It is certainly going to be difficult, there are two incredibly strong riders in front of me, not just one, but you’ve got to keep believing.
‘As a team, we are going to try and make the most of anything we can and keep racing the best we can.
‘We are just trying to get to Paris as quick as we can and that’s all we can do. Anything can happen. It’s a three-week race not 15 days.’
Thomas also highlighted how Danish rider Vingegaard’s quest for a first Tour title will be more difficult following the withdrawal of two of his top Jumbo-Visma team-mates, Primoz Roglic and Steven Kruijswijk.
And he believes his own bid to win a second yellow jersey will be boosted by Saturday’s penultimate stage being a time trial, despite his disappointing performance in the Tour’s first TT when he forgot to remove his gilet.
Thomas feels Vingegaard could be ‘hurt’ by the withdrawal of two of his Jumbo team-mates
‘Jumbo have lost two super strong guys for the climb,’ said Thomas. ‘That’s definitely going to hurt them. I still think they are capable of finishing it off, but who knows.
‘I’ve still got the TT up my sleeve, that’s a bit of a bonus. I just need to take my f****** gilet off!’
Thomas would be the oldest winner of the Tour since 1922 but he feels his form now is as good as it was when he won four years ago.
‘I’ve been feeling good all the way through,’ he added. ‘The numbers are good. They are some of the best numbers I’ve done.
‘It is hard to compare with four years ago, but I’d say it’s a similar level, more or less.’
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