Tour de France 2019 news - Geraint Thomas admits to feeling 'weak' after losing time
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 20/07/2019 at 18:08 GMT
Geraint Thomas admits he felt "weak" after losing time to Tour de France leader Julian Alaphilippe following Stage 14 on the Col du Tourmalet.
Geraint Thomas
Image credit: Reuters
Thibaut Pinot led a French one-two ahead of overall leader Julian Alaphilippe to win the 14th stage of the Tour de France, a 117.5-km mountain trek from Tarbes on Saturday.
Thomas finished inside the top 10, but lost 36 seconds on Alaphilippe, meaning he is now two minutes and two seconds behind the Frenchman in the General Classification, accounting for the bonus seconds.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2019/07/20/2642100-54664470-2560-1440.jpg)
Thibaut Pinot led home a France one-two on the fearsome Col du Tourmalet
Image credit: Getty Images
"I just wasn't quite on it from the start, really," the defending champion told Eurosport. "I just felt quite weak, and at the end I just knew that I had to try to pace it. I didn't really attempt to follow them when they kicked.
I just thought it would be better if I tried to ride at my own pace, and limit my losses that way, rather than stay with them and blow up on the steepest bit at the end.
"Maybe I should've just tried to stay with them, but it was just one of those days. It was disappointing, but I just tried to limit the damage. From the start, I just didn't feel great.
"I was hoping I'd come round, but on the last climb, it was just a matter of staying there as long as possible. There's still a lot to come."
Thomas lost contact one kilometre from the finish and crossed the line in eighth place. The Welshman remains in second, 12 seconds ahead of Steven Kruijswijk of Jumbo-Visma.
Sunday's 15th stage is a 185km punishing ride from Limoux, ending with a gruelling ascent up to Prat d'Albis - and Sir Bradley Wiggins fears that Thomas will struggle to produce his best form in the final week.
"You can't hide on a climb like that - well over 2,000m the day after the time trial, and we saw G crack at the end there, and we saw Alaphilippe look like a man who can win the Tour de France," Wiggins told Eurosport.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2019/07/20/2641979-54662050-2560-1440.jpg)
France's Julian Alaphilippe extended his lead on Saturday
Image credit: Getty Images
"He almost needs to be in that hurt zone in order to get the best out of himself - he's not a rider who can cruise around and play poker face. He's a fighter, and he'll fight from kilometre zero until the finish.
You saw how hard Geraint Thomas tried. He'll go deep Geraint, and maybe too deep. He went deep yesterday [in the time trial] and tomorrow's another tough day. I'm not too sure we're going to see the best of Geraint now after this.
"I fear the worst for him at this stage. What Thomas does so well is he doesn't react to the acceleration. He stays at the same power and speed. He's always been focused on limiting his losses, and he'll do that now every day until Paris and see where it gets him.
"The last three mountain stages in the Alps are going to be crucial.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2019/07/20/2642116-54664790-2560-1440.jpg)
Disappointed Thomas: I just felt quite weak from the start
"We're getting into the third week of the Tour de France now. None of us would've believed this two weeks ago, and I wouldn't put it passed Alaphilippe that in a week's time, he's still in yellow."
Thomas' Ineos team mate, Colombian Egan Bernal, was fifth, eight seconds behind Pinot, who claimed his third career stage win on the Tour.
The in-form man of the first week, Pinot had lost one minute and 40 seconds when caught at the wrong end of a bunch split on the eve of the rest day last Monday and he had promised he would use his 'rage' to bounce back.
The 29-year-old duly delivered, looking strong during the whole ascent to the Col du Tourmalet, a 19km climb at an average gradient of 7.4%, and accelerated just before the final bend.
Brian Smith maintains that the Tour remains "wide open", but feels Ineos have it all to do.
"I feel the time trail from Thomas really hurt him," he said. "He looked really disappointed, and I don't know how Team Ineos can plan - I don't really see a winner, so it has to be tactical now with so many riders still in contention.
There was damage done in the time trial yesterday, and that was evident with a lot of riders.
"I feel it's all about recovery now for Ineos. They've got Egan Bernal and Thomas - they'll not want to lose too much time, get to the rest day and then look at the final few days. It's not over, it's wide open."
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement