Criterium du Dauphine: Geraint Thomas wins from fellow Briton Adam Yates

Geraint Thomas (centre) celebrates victory over Adam Yates (right) and Romain Bardet (left)

Geraint Thomas won the 70th Criterium du Dauphine in France to give Team Sky their sixth victory in the race in the past eight years.

The Welshman finished one minute ahead of nearest rival, and fellow Briton Adam Yates, who won the final stage.

Thomas, 32, said he took each day as it came during the event, but now realises he has "won a massive race".

The double Olympic track champion finished with an overall time of 24 hours 43 minutes 12 seconds.

Despite having to "chase back" after his tyres were punctured during the final stage, he said he grew in confidence as the race wore on.

"I knew I had about one minute 20 seconds to lose on Yatesy so at 200m to go, when they started sprinting for the win, I was relieved," said Thomas.

"I can rest a little bit now and wait for July. This is a confidence booster for the Tour de France."

Yates, 25, finished the seventh stage in three hours 51 minutes 34 seconds with Thomas in fifth, 19 seconds behind.

Frenchman Romain Bardet came third overall while Britain's Tao Geoghegan Hart finished 13th.

In a double success for Team Sky, they also won the team event, finishing seven minutes 18 seconds ahead of Team Emirates.

Stage seven result:

1. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton Scott) 3hrs 51mins 34secs

2. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa/Cofidis Solutions Credits) +4secs

3. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +9secs

4. Emanuel Buchmann (Ger/Bora - Hansgrohe) +14secs

5. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) +19secs

Final classification:

1. Geraint Thomas (GB/Team Sky) 24hrs 43mins 12secs

2. Adam Yates (GB/Mitchelton Scott)+1min

3. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +1min 47secs

4. Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Team Emirates) +2mins 35secs

5. Damiano Caruso (Ita/BMC Racing Team) +2mins 44secs

6. Emanuel Buchmann (Ger/Bora - Hansgrohe) +3mins 5secs

7. Pierre Roger Latour (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) +4mins 5secs

8. Pierre Rolland (Fra/Team EF Education First - Drapac P/B Cannondale) +4mins 22secs

9. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa/Cofidis Solutions Credits) +4mins 31secs

10. Ilnur Zakarin (Rus/Team Katusha Alpecin) +4mins 45secs

13. Tao Geoghegan Hart (GB/Team Sky) +7mins 5secs