5 dark horse candidates to upset at the 2018 Tour de France
By Elliot Howey
Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
This year’s Tour de France will be Geraint Thomas’ ninth. Thomas will be hoping this year’s Tour will end better than his last, when the Brit crashed out of the Tour on Stage 9. The Team Sky rider was hoping to lead his team and finally get a chance to challenge for the coveted yellow jersey.
However, Sky has decided to go with Froome as its main guy this year.
Thomas is Team Sky’s back-up plan if anything were to go wrong with Froome. He is among the top riders in the peloton and showed his class in June, when the 32-year-old won the Criterium du Dauphine, beating riders such as Yates and Martin to win the 70th edition of the race.
Thomas’ strongest attribute is his versatility; he is a good climber and time-trialist. His ability to be among the contenders in the GC means Team Sky can employ varied strategies — to tire out other riders or to use Thomas as a launch pad for Froome’s famous mountaintop attacks.
Known as “G” to his teammates, the success Team Sky has had over the last five years is largely down to Thomas and his loyalty. The Brit arguably would have won a yellow jersey if he wasn’t so loyal to Froome and this team.
A standout rider, Thomas would be a team leader and GC contender for any other team in the Tour de France. Yet “G” has spent most of his career helping others win the yellow jersey.
In reality, if Froome is still in the race and in GC contention all Thomas’ efforts will be on helping his fellow Brit secure a fifth Tour de France title. However, if Froome is involved in a crash or is injured then no question, Team Sky will look to Thomas to lead the team.
Thomas is Team Sky’s “G” plan if Froome is out the Tour.