Ineos Grenadiers rider Geraint Thomas is pleased with his form so far this season and is somewhat taken aback by how strongly he has started.
After four stages of the Volta a Catalunya, the 34-year-old Welshman is in third place in the overall standings. He is supporting Adam Yates in Spain, having performed the same role for Egan Bernal at Tirreno-Adriatico.
Thomas hopes that significant work at this stage of the calendar will set him up well to challenge for the 2021 Tour de France, three years after he won the Grand Tour.
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“These two races, this and Tirreno, have been more about turning up, race around, and helping the team, and there was no thought of really being in the mix, but I have been and that’s really good for morale," he said.
“I’m getting better all of the time. I had a slow start to the year. I’m just getting the hours in and I haven’t done any efforts in training. I’ve just been using the race to get that intensity and it’s going really well.
“I definitely feel like I have a good bit of headroom left so that’s encouraging. It’s all good.
“I have been working on my diet quite a lot earlier than normal and that makes a big difference. It’s nice to be in the mix.”

Highlights: Chaves wins Stage 4 as Yates retains Volta a Catalunya lead

Ineos have Richie Porte in second, with Thomas in third and Yates leading the podium.
“It’s been a great team performance and it’s nice to ride like that,” he confirmed.
“A load has been said about how we’re racing and how we’re different and this and that, but it’s good to have it the old-school way and stamp our authority on the race.
“We’ve obviously got a really strong team here and everyone’s in good shape.
“It’s a great team to be in, a great environment, no egos, everybody’s happy to help everyone else so I think it stands us in good stead for the rest of the season.”
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