Tokyo 2020 - ‘What have I done in a previous life?’ - Geraint Thomas after Olympic road race crash
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Updated 24/07/2021 at 14:25 GMT
The double Olympic champion is still waiting for a first road medal at the Games, after a freak crash involving his team-mate Tao Geoghegan Hart ended his chances. It was heartbreak for Thomas, whose Tour de France hopes were similarly ended by falling off his bike less than four weeks ago. Thomas says the disappointment has been tough to take mentally, but will go again in Wednesday’s time trial.
'My head's all over the place' - Thomas rues crash in Olympic road race
Geraint Thomas says he has questioned what he has done wrong in a previous life after a crash forced him to abandon the Olympic road race.
The two-time gold medallist on the track collided with fellow Team GB rider Tao Geoghegan Hart, who had fallen just in front of him. The accident followed his crash at the Tour de France less than four weeks ago - when he dislocated his shoulder - and adds to his Olympic disappointment, having crashed at Rio 2016 when well placed to win a medal.
The race was won by Richard Carapaz ahead of Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogacar.
“I was just behind him (Geoghegan Hart) and just nowhere to go,” he told Eurosport.
“I should have tried to land on top of him, it would have softened my blow, but we were both on the deck - really unfortunate, just a freak accident.
“We were going pretty quick. I knew that I wasn’t bad, like broken something, but when you hit the floor at that sort of speed it’s never nice and it was on the same side as my shoulder when I did it in the Tour, so, luckily it stayed in.
“All the muscles and that were pretty tight and spasm and knocked myself about a bit, just a normal crash.
It’s just disappointing, after the Tour and everything looking to come here, change of scene and the GB team, just really motivated to try and get something out of it, so yeah for that to happen, I was just sat on the floor thinking ‘what have I done in a previous life?’.
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Britain's Thomas caught up in nasty-looking crash during road race
Thomas has another chance to go for gold in the time trial on Wednesday and he is confident his body will hold up, despite admitting he was struggling to walk with an ankle injury and some problems with his back. But he says the disappointment of the past month has been difficult to take.
“So much time away from home, all the sacrifices you make, it was an 11 week block where I only saw my son and my wife for four days. It’s a lot of commitment and the diet and everything,” he said.
Let’s face it, I don’t enjoy eating rice and chicken and missing out on all the social occasions back home and a normal few beers with everyone. It’s been tough mentally, (I've) still got one more chance on Wednesday with the TT, so (I'll) just rest up now and hopefully get something out of that.
“The main two targets are what you dream about and they’re the ones where I’ve ended up on the floor. It is tough, but it is part of the sport, like life in general, you don’t always get what you deserve...just need to keep trying.
“My head’s all over the place at the minute. But after the Tour, the way that went, I was sat on the floor thinking ‘what is going on? Why?’ But that’s how it goes sometimes.”
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'Does not look good' – Thomas dislocates shoulder in nasty crash on Stage 3
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