It was a picture that struck worry in British biking followers, particularly with lower than three weeks to go till the Tour de France. On Tuesday’s stage of the Tour de Suisse, with 60km to go, the tv cameras minimize to Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), sitting on the ground and clutching his left knee.
Replays confirmed the Welshman crashed on a hairpin bend because the peloton bunched collectively on a descent. So tight was the nook, that Thomas fell virtually in sluggish movement, grinding to a halt as he toppled onto the asphalt.
In his retirement yr, the 39-year-old is hoping to make one ultimate look on the Tour subsequent month, seven years on from the version he received. Immediately, his participation seemed thrown into doubt.
“I simply hit a lip on the aspect of the highway, actually,” Thomas advised reporters after the end line. “It was my fault, however then I simply type of received my foot caught behind me and I simply twisted all my knee and my hamstring – it was only a lifeless leg.”
After sitting on the ground for greater than a minute, the Ineos Grenadiers rider was helped to his ft by a race physician. He then slowly swung his leg again over his bike and continued down the descent.
Through the medical automobile, and with the assistance of three team-mates, Thomas was in a position to rejoin the peloton some 20km later.
“I struggled to bend it for the primary minute or so, however then as soon as I received on the bike and received rolling it freed up a bit,” he defined. “It’s only a bit sore – the muscular tissues and stuff are a bit strained, nevertheless it’s all OK.”
Stage three of the Tour de Suisse was received solo by US champion Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek), who tore clear off the breakaway with 20km to go. In his post-race interview, the American devoted his win to Gino Mäder, who died after crashing on the race two years in the past.
Thomas completed 133rd on Tuesday, in a gaggle greater than quarter-hour down on the leaders. The Welshman is ready to retire this yr after September’s Lloyds Tour of Britain Males, which is predicted to complete in Cardiff, Thomas’s hometown, in tribute to his profession.
The eight-stage Tour de Suisse continues on Wednesday with its first category-one mountain take a look at. Because it stands, Thomas is predicted to start out the stage.
