When former Tour de France winner, Geraint Thomas OBE, announced on his recent podcast that his 19th season as a professional cyclist would be his last, it confirmed what, sadly, we had been anticipating. During this time, he collected medals and won races on both the track and the road, making him one of a select few to be able to achieve success in both disciplines, which culminated in being awarded the OBE in 2019 in recognition for his services to Cycling.
Retirement
I caught up with Geraint at the recent Volta ao Algarve, a race he won in 2015 and 2016, to ask him about his thoughts about his upcoming retirement and if he would miss the racing. “Yeah, definitely parts of it for sure, and then other parts not so much. But, yeah, certainly racing and being on the bus with the boys and that sort of camaraderie, for sure,” Geraint said.
When asked if he would follow his friend and fellow Podcaster, Luke Rowe, into a Director Sportive (DS) role, he was clear: “I don’t think about a DS [role].”
Like many former professional riders, I wondered if a move into broadcasting was on the cards, to which he noted, “Podcasting is kind of press related, isn’t it? But I don’t know, maybe carry that on, I’ve had a little think about [the future], but no real clear idea yet. I think it’s something I can just take my time over really, and just worry about racing at the minute and try and have a good final.” On that note, for fans of his podcasts, it doesn’t seem like they will be finishing once retirement beckons.
With the racing season kicking off, I was keen to find out what the goals were for the veteran rider, including if the Tour de France was on the cards. “Yeah, hopefully one more Tour. [I] just need to whip myself into a bit of shape really first and then, yeah, just enjoy the racing with the guys really, make the most of it because this life is pretty special.”
What is clear is that, unlike some riders who, when they retire, never touch their bike again, this won’t be the case, noting that “I’ll still ride my bike.”
Geraint’s future is very much undecided and with conversations with the team going to be had over the next few months, there are still pages to be written about Geraint. Whatever he decides, when he does retire, one thing that is clear is that he will have a treasure trove of achievements to reflect on.
Tour de France
He made his Tour de France debut with Barlow World in 2007 as the youngest rider. 11 years later in 2018, he would claim the overall victory and, in doing so, became the first Welshman to win the most prestigious prize in cycling, the Tour de France’s yellow jersey. The following year, he came close to repeating the feat, coming second to teammate Egan Bernal.
During his career, he has participated in 13 Tour de Frances, where he has won three stages, including a summit finish on Alpe d’Huez in 2018, and with Geraint hoping to participate in the race one last time, there may be an opportunity for one final swansong before retirement.
Stage races
Success wasn’t only limited to the Tour de France. In 2023, he finished second to Slovenian Primož Roglič by only 14 seconds at the Giro d’Italia, after going into the final time trial wearing the leader’s jersey. In 2024, he returned to the Giro, finishing third overall, celebrating his 38th birthday during the race.
Other notable stage race results include the overall victory at Paris–Nice (2016), the Critérium du Dauphiné (2018) and Tour de Suisse (2022).
One-day races
In the early part of his career, Thomas raced the Classics, winning E3 Harelbeke in 2015. Other notable results include winning the National Road Race Championships (2010) and National Time Trial Championships (2018).
Track
On the track, Geraint was part of the dominant British Cycling Team that won the Team pursuit at the World Championships in 2007, 2008, 2012 as well as claiming Olympic Gold in 2008 and 2012.
Summing up
Geraint Thomas’s announcement of his retirement after a remarkable 19-season career highlights his significant achievements in both road and track cycling, leaving fans with the anticipation of one last Tour de France and a legacy filled with memorable victories. As he prepares to transition from racing, his future remains open, with possibilities in podcasting and continued cycling, ensuring he won’t be too far away from the sport that has made him a household name.
