Geraint Thomas opens contract talks with Ineos Grenadiers over new deal as he steers away from retirement

04.05.2023 - 19:55 eurosport.com

Geraint Thomas is in talks to sign a new deal with Ineos Grenadiers. The 2018 Tour de France winner is coming to the end of a two-year deal he signed in 2021, and is keen to continue competing.

Ad Although he previously hinted at retirement, Thomas is fully focussed on upcoming challenges — starting with the Giro d'Italia — as he enters contract negotiations with the team over a potential new deal.

Giro d'ItaliaExclusive: 'Tough' to see Thomas on Roglic and Evenepoel's level at Giro says ContadorYESTERDAY AT 06:43 «This is a big year for me.

It's contract year and I could stop but I'm keen to continue and conversations have started with the team,» he said. «I'm focused on this race [Giro] right now, get the most out of it and hopefully, once we've finished in Rome, we will cross that bridge.» Despite 2023 potentially being Thomas’ last year as a professional with the legendary cyclist turning 37 during the Giro, he’s set for joint leadership of Ineos alongside Tao Geoghegan Hart when the Giro starts on Saturday. «This year has been stop-start because of a viral infection which has been really frustrating, but it has made me realise that I still love competing,” he explained. „I still get a real buzz from racing and pushing myself in training, which is important because I still want to be up at the pointy end of the race.

cycling new deal as Tour De-France Geraint Thomas France Rome

The general classification battle at the Giro d'Italia is set to hot up on Stage 18, which features five categorised climbs. The stage is the first of three successive climbing days before a flat finale in Rome.

Thomas boosts bid to become oldest Giro winner, Almeida wins tough 16th stage

MONTE BONDONE, Italy: Geraint Thomas boosted his bid to become the Giro d’Italia’s oldest winner by moving back into the leader’s pink jersey on Tuesday as the race exploded into life at the start of a dramatic and decisive final week in the Dolomites.

Geraint Thomas 'rolling back the years'. Primoz Roglic is 'vulnerable' – Robbie McEwen on Giro d’Italia drama

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) is “rolling back the years” and showing form similar to when he won the Tour de France in 2018, according to Eurosport expert Robbie McEwen. The Welshman soared into the maglia rosa on Stage 16 after finishing second behind Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) as the pair combined to expose cracks in Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma). Ad Although Almeida comfortably saw off Thomas in the sprint finale to take victory and maximum bonus seconds, it was the Ineos star who moved back into pink – two days shy of his 37th birthday.

Giro d’Italia 2023: Blow for Geraint Thomas as Pavel Sivakov abandons, Ineos down to just five riders

Geraint Thomas’ general classification hopes at the Giro d’Italia have suffered a big blow after Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Pavel Sivakov abandoned on Stage 16. Ineos had already lost 2020 champion Tao Geoghegan Hart to a fractured hip and Filippo Ganna to Covid. Ad Sivakov's departure leaves Thomas with just four support riders in the final week.

Geraint Thomas pays tribute to 'greatest sprinter of all time' ahead of Mark Cavendish's retirement

Geraint Thomas believes Mark Cavendish, who announced his retirement at the end of the current season, is the “greatest sprinter of all time" and says it has been «an honour to ride with him». Cavendish is currently at the Giro d’Italia and is expected to compete at the Tour de France this summer, where he hopes to break the stage record that he currently shares with Eddy Merckx. Ad Thomas has raced alongside Cavendish for Great Britain as well as for one season at Team Sky.