Geraint Thomas: Welshman targets Nationals time trial success ahead of Tour de France

Geraint Thomas (centre) is a double Olympic champion on the track

Geraint Thomas is hoping for British time trial success before the Tour de France, which starts next month.

Welshman Thomas competes in the National Road Championships time trial on 28 June in Northumberland before the Tour de France begins on 7 July at Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile.

"I am looking forward to it," said Thomas.

"I don't get to race too much in the UK anyway and the fact this is the Nationals is special."

Thomas will appear in his first British Championships since 2014, when they were held in Monmouthshire.

The 32-year-old won the road race in 2010 and has achieved second and third place finishes in the time trial.

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"Because it is so close to the Tour, the team do not like us doing them normally," said Thomas.

"Since I won it in 2010, I have only competed a couple of times so this opportunity is rare.

"Luckily this falls nicely with a good flight in and out.

"It will be strange because I don't normally do one-off time trials, they are normally part of a stage race.

"The exceptions have been the 2014 Commonwealth Games, 2016 Rio Olympics and a couple of Nationals.

"But I have been feeling good in training and look forward to a good hit out."

Tough competition

Five-time winner Alex Dowsett is the favourite, but Thomas has not ruled out his chances of success.

"It is his [Dowsett's] discipline, it is what he lives and trains for and has won it five times, that speaks for itself," said Thomas.

Thomas is set for a ninth Tour de France where he could again be joined by fellow Welshman Luke Rowe - with the squad to be announced next week.

"It is crazy to think I have done so many," said Thomas.

"Hopefully I will learn from those experiences and this will be the best yet.

"The Criterium du Dauphine success was a good boost to the morale."

Froome wants fifth Tour title

Thomas' Team Sky colleague Chris Froome will be targeting a fifth Tour de France success this year.

"Chris is going to be the leader," said Thomas.

"I am down as back-up, but hopefully we can get right into the Alps up there.

"That will give the team a few cards to play and then it is all to race for."

Thomas is out of contract with Team Sky at the end of 2018 and hopes his future will be resolved before the Tour de France begins.

"It is close but nothing is 100% yet so I am not going to tempt fate," said Thomas.

"Hopefully we can get things sorted and we can announce it then."