Thomas targetting Giro podium in 2017

The Welshman has been a key climbing domestique in the years Chris Froome has won Le Tour de France, and in 2016 was seen as Team Sky's Plan B, should anything have happened to their leader.

But, after taking a landmark win at Paris-Nice earlier in the season, Thomas' form faded and he finished La Grande Boucle in 15th spot.

His final placing was the same as it had been in 2015, when he gained rave reviews after pushing for a podium spot in the first two weeks, before slipping back in the final days' climbing.

But now, with Thomas having admitted he may have overdone the weight loss in search of performance gains in 2016, Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford has said the two-time Olympic team pursuit champion will form a two-pronged attack with Mikel Landa, at May's Giro.

"I think this is a big season for Geraint, a really important season for Geraint. He won Paris-Nice last season and then he didn't perform as well as he'd like in the Tour," said the under-fire team boss.

"This season I think he needs a big goal and wants to target a Grand Tour. That made sense to us, and when we saw the profile of the Giro we felt he would be capable of performing very, very well.

"Their qualities are different, and the way Mikel and Geraint approach and perform are different. But I think that's complimentary in a team like ours. I think they've both got targets to work for."

Sportsbeat 2017