Why did Geraint Thomas and Ineos Grenadiers give away the pink jersey on purpose at the Giro d’Italia?

20.05.2023 - 18:09 eurosport.com

Geraint Thomas will not line up in the leader’s pink jersey on Sunday’s Stage 15 after the Welshman and his Ineos Grenadiers team decided to surrender the overall lead.

The Welshman has been in the leader's pink jersey since Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) pulled out of the race with Covid ahead of the first rest day.

When Ineos team-mate Tao Geoghegan Hart also departed the Giro after fracturing his hip in a freak crash, the race looked set for a straight showdown between Thomas and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma).

Ad Thomas has led Roglic by two seconds in the general classification all week, but on Sunday it will be Bruno Armirail (Groupama–FDJ) who flashes the iconic pink in the peloton.

cycling mountaineering PINK on Giro Geraint Thomas Adam Blythe Robbie Macewen

ROME: Primoz Roglic expanded his Grand Tour portfolio by winning the Giro d’Italia on Sunday to add to his three Spanish Vuelta titles; while Mark Cavendish won the 21st and final stage less than a week after announcing that he will retire at the end of the season.

Geraint Thomas after leading out Mark Cavendish to sprint victory at Giro d’Italia - 'Help a brother out!'

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) admitted he wanted to “help a brother out” after seeing Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan) light on support in the finale to Stage 21 at the Giro d’Italia. The Welshman was spotted speaking to Cavendish with 2.2km remaining of Sunday’s tear-up around Rome before moving to the front of the bunch and driving on the pace.

Giro d'Italia 'impossible to predict' ahead of Geraint Thomas, Primoz Roglic, Joao Almeida time trial decider

The Giro d’Italia is on a knife-edge heading into Saturday’s decisive individual time trial, with Eurosport expert Jens Voigt claiming Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) could all still win the race. With Sunday’s final stage a pan-flat run around Rome for the sprinters, the general classification battle will almost certainly be decided against the clock on Stage 20.

Geraint Thomas or Primoz Roglic - Who will win and where will Giro d'Italia 2023 be decided?

Primoz Roglic looks the biggest threat to Geraint Thomas’ dream of winning the Giro d’Italia after an improved performance on Stage 18, but The Breakaway team remain unconvinced he can topple the Welshman. Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) extended his lead in the general classification to 29 seconds on Thursday after following the resurgent Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) to the line, with Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) slipping from second to third after losing ground on his two big rivals. Ad The day began with Jens Voigt writing off Roglic’s hopes, suggesting the best he could hope for was third after he failed to stick with Almeida and Thomas on Stage 16.