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

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. Armirail started the day 23rd in GC, 18’37” down on Thomas, but took over 20 minutes back on Saturday as he sailed into the overall lead as the highest-placed rider involved in the day’s breakaway. Giro d'ItaliaThomas delivers brutal put down to former riders after criticism over Stage 13 alteration7 HOURS AGO Of course, Ineos had plenty of time to increase the pace and keep the overall lead, but rode slowly on the front of the main bunch to gift Armirail the first Grand Tour leader’s jersey of his career.

For those new to cycling, it begged the question: why? Fortunately, Robbie McEwen and Adam Blythe were on hand to explain everything on The Breakaway... “It does seem counterintuitive for those who are new to cycling,” said McEwen. “But it’s all about energy preservation and they’ve let a guy [Armirail] who has already lost 18’30” in the race so far back into pink because they don’t see him as a threat for the overall with a week of very hard mountainous racing to come.