Tour de France 2019 news - Geraint Thomas 'itching to go' as Tour heads for epic climax
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Updated 23/07/2019 at 11:35 GMT
Geraint Thomas believes the worst of his struggles are behind him as he bids to claw in his deficit to Julian Alaphilippe in the final week of the 2019 Tour de France.
Geraint Thomas of United Kingdom and Team INEOS / Saint-Dié-des-Vosges City / Julian Alaphilippe of France and Team Deceuninck - Quick-Step Yellow Leader Jersey
Image credit: Getty Images
Defending champion Thomas was distanced by key rivals in the Pyrenean stages of the Tour de France over the weekend, but he was able to cut the deficit to Alaphilippe in the yellow jersey on Sunday.
The Welshman has twice already seen the main contenders to his throne leave him behind, while he has admitted to not feeling 100 per cent as Thibaut Pinot picked up significant time over the weekend.
With all riders enjoying a rest day on Monday, Thomas said: "Obviously on the Tourmalet I wasn't feeling 100 per cent but it was more just a fuelling thing over a few days rather than anything else.
"Yesterday I finished really strongly so it's not an issue."
Ineos team-mate Egan Bernal was among the riders to get away on both of the previous two stages, and Thomas said he was between 'a rock and a hard place' after not being able to make a late move without helping Alaphilippe close down the Colombian.
But the Welshman played down any concerns about their status as co-leaders and said he had told Bernal to ride his own race on the Prat d'Albis due to concerns over his own condition.
"We stick together," he said. "Yesterday I said on the radio I didn't feel great coming into the last climb, but as it turned out I did feel great at the top.
The main thing is going into the Alps I feel motivated to try and finish this Tour off well.
"It's been a slightly up and down race compared to last year but the main thing is I finish strong and I'm itching to go a lot better there."
In 1989, Laurent Fignon was left distraught as he missed out on the title by eight seconds, and the absence of Chris Froome has made this the most open and exciting competition since then.
Alaphilippe leads Thomas by one minute 35 seconds ahead of three tough stages in the Alps, while just 39 seconds separate Thomas in second and Emanuel Buchmann in sixth.
France are desperate for a first home winner in 34 years - but Thomas is appealed by the propsect of ending those hopes on the climbs.
"I'd love it, I'd relish it," he added. "Bring it on."
Team principal Sir Dave Brailsford insists he is enjoying the tactical battle as Alaphilippe's unexpected presence in the yellow jersey changes the dynamics.
"Nobody is really controlling the race as such," he said. "It's way more exciting but it's more like chess in another sense.
It's brilliant fun. We've sat here on the second day of a Grand Tour so many times and people say we've closed the race down and it's not been exciting.
"That's not been the case this time. It's fun to be involved in one of most exciting editions in a long time."
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