Geraint Thomas: Tour winner targets Commonwealth glory for Wales after football success
- Published
Geraint Thomas waves to fans before stage one of the Tour de Suisse
It does not take former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas long to mention the football.
Not just the fact that Wales' men's side recently qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.
But the pride and passion they showed along the way.
Thomas has just been selected for his third Commonwealth Games for Wales and, even with this year's season-dominating French Tour to come first, it is a big target for him this summer.
"It's what every Welsh sportsman and woman has in them," he explains, as we sit down in Zurich ahead of the Tour de Suisse.
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"It's where you start and where you love to be.
"You see it with Gareth Bale. As we all know, the club game is more influential than internationals with a lot of people - but with the Welsh boys they still love getting back and getting together.
"It's a similar thing with cycling. Everyone loves just to get home and represent their country. We're all into rugby and football and it's just nice to feel a bit of that pride as well."
Thomas won road race gold for Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
It will be only the third time Thomas has raced for Wales in his 16 years as a professional rider.
The previous two occasions - the 2006 and 2014 Commonwealth Games - saw him return with medals, including a solo ride to gold in the road race at Glasgow 2014.
"It meant so much," Thomas says. "Just to be stood on the top step of the podium hearing the national anthem. I'd never had that before.
"In Melbourne I'd won a bronze and in Glasgow a few days before I'd had another bronze in the time trial. So to go a couple better and win gold was huge.
"The way the race went, with a late puncture, and then to be wearing that jersey crossing the line was definitely one of the highlights of my career."
A more supportive role
Of course another highlight followed four years later - as Thomas became the first Welshman to win the Tour de France.
He followed it up by finishing second the following year and his status in the sport is evident here in Switzerland, as fans call his name and ask for autographs. At the team presentations on the eve of stage one, his announcement was given the biggest drumroll by the event organisers.
Yet the contradiction is that these days Thomas is not even his team's top rider, let alone the peloton's.
The 36-year-old admits his role has changed into more of a supportive one in the major stage races. He is likely to be asked to help two leaders within the INEOS team at this year's Tour de France, which begins on 1 July.
"The main thing for me at this year's Tour is just enjoying it," he says. "I don't feel I've got anything more to prove after what I've done.
"I'd love to go for a stage and be up there in the general classification fighting. Being a card to play with our two leaders in the team. It's a very fluid role.
Fans have been grabbing Thomas for autographs and selfies whenever they can
"But the main thing is just enjoying it because the last few years have been intense and there's been a lot of pressure, especially when you're trying to win and you're one of the leaders.
"That sort of pressure's been taken away now, which is nice but also strange. Because I feel like I want a bit of that pressure still.
"But I can see the end of my career coming as well - you can't keep doing this forever. So it's about really making the most of it and trying to enjoy it."
Thomas has a contract with INEOS until the end of 2023. He says he would be open to extending it and believes he has another 'two or three years' in professional cycling.
Behind his typically relaxed demeanour, and an acceptance of his changing role, there remains undoubtedly a strong desire for more success.
He describes getting down to optimal race weight as the 'biggest pain in the bum' - but he still does it. He still pushes himself to the limit in training and he is still in competitive shape.
Thomas is part of a seven-man INEOS Grenadiers team in Switzerland, which includes Tom Pidcock and fellow Welshman Luke Rowe.
At stage one here at the Tour de Suisse, Thomas finished in the leading group of riders. Though the sprint was won by compatriot Stephen Williams - a welcome boost for the 26-year-old after years of injury problems.
Williams will join Thomas in riding for Wales at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. A flat road race course around the West Midlands will likely favour a sprinter, but Thomas believes anything can happen on the day.
"We all understand the profile of the route doesn't necessarily complement our strengths but so much can happen in a Commonwealth Games," Thomas says.
"It's not like a pro race, which has a certain structure. It's just crazy.
"We've definitely got some good riders so we'll just get out there, race as hard as we can and see what we can do."
As well as the road race, Thomas will also target the time trial. Both take place just over a week after the Tour de France.
Thomas is keeping his options open this summer as he moves away from the days he would have one big target a season.
"I still want to win," he continues. "I'm not too bothered what it is.
"Obviously I'd love to win another Tour because that's the ultimate. But whether it's Commonwealth Games or a stage in Denmark, every race I go to now I'll do my bit for the team and if I feel I've got the legs, I'll take my chance and see what happens.
"I'll enjoy the last few years because it's a privilege to race your bike for a living."
This feels like a new chapter in Thomas' career. And he admits it is getting towards the last one.
His two Olympic gold medals on the track, the Tour de France yellow jersey and that Commonwealth Games gold for Wales add up to a remarkable career.
But as he chases more success this summer, you would not write him off just yet.