Giro d'Italia 2024: Geraint Thomas focused on first Grand Tour of the season - 'All I'm thinking about now'

Published 16/04/2024 at 07:39 GMT

Ineos Grenadiers' Geraint Thomas has made it clear that he is focusing above all on the Giro d'Italia, despite the Tour de France looming on the calendar. At the 2023 Giro he placed second in the general classification, and speaking ahead of the Tour of the Alps warm-up event, he said that his attention is on the 2024 Giro d'Italia in order to go one better.

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Geraint Thomas said that all he is, “thinking about now is the Giro,” as he discussed the forthcoming Grand Tours this season.

Thomas is to compete at the Tour of the Alps in preparation for the upcoming Italian Grand Tour, the first of the season.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider was asked if he was taking into account the Tour de France as he readied himself for the season, and he told WielerFlits that his main focus was on the Giro.

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"Slightly but I guess all I'm thinking about now is the Giro," Thomas said. "I tried to take it a bit steadier in the build-up and then we deal with the 'after the Giro' after the Giro.

"Obviously [last year's Giro d'Italia] didn't end the best way but with the start of the season I had I think it was still a good one, but we'll see what this year brings."

Thomas came second last year, behind Primoz Roglic, and led the race for eight days before being usurped by the Slovenian after a time trial, but last year he was suffered from a UTI infection.

This time, he appears healthier in the run-up to the event.

He said his form is, "slightly better hopefully. I have had a bit more consistency so looking forward to a good one.

"It's good timing you know, with two weeks after this until the start of the Giro just to fine-tune things. But a good, hard five days of racing in the mountains is always good."

Discussing tactics for the Tour of the Alps, Thomas was circumspect in his ambitions as he looked to discover how well set he was.

"Similar to last year, we're looking forward to it. Some good hard racing, it's certainly a tough race with the climbs and things, so yeah it should be a good one,” he answered.

"I'll take what I can, every race you want to get the best result so we'll see how the legs are and take any opportunity as they come."

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