Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas to retire from cycling at end of season

Tour de France winner and double Olympic champion Geraint Thomas will retire from cycling this year.

The 38-year-old announced on Monday morning he will be bringing the curtain down on a successful 19-year professional career, with British Cycling saying September’s Tour of Britain will be his final race.

Thomas claimed Olympic team pursuit gold on the track at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012 before going on to win the Tour de France in 2018, becoming the third Briton and only Welshman to win road cycling’s biggest race.

And in a post on X, Thomas said: “Thought it was time we made it official. Yes, this will be my last year in the peloton.

“It’s not been a bad run eh? Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine being a pro for 19 years. There’ll be lots of time to reflect but, before then, I’ve got some big races to prep for.”

Thomas added to BBC Breakfast: “Since I was a kid I dreamt of riding the Tour and being part of the Olympics and winning was obviously a dream as well, but to achieve that was just nuts.

“Beijing was massive, my first Olympics and winning gold there. But the Tour’s what changed my life, being recognised all over the place.

“The yellow jersey is iconic. You go anywhere in the world and people will know the yellow jersey, how it signifies cycling and its history.

“So to be a part of that history and to win it, I just pinch myself.”

He won Commonwealth gold for Wales in the road race in 2014, was British champion in both the road race and time trial and finished on the podium twice at the Giro d’Italia.

He was also part of the Great Britain team that helped Mark Cavendish become road race world champion in 2011, while his track exploits included three team pursuit world championship golds.

British Cycling performance director Stephen Park added: “On behalf of British Cycling, I would like to congratulate Geraint on a stellar career, one that has shown what is possible within such a gruelling and captivating sport for those who have the grit and determination to succeed at the highest level.

“His 2018 Tour de France win will go down in history as the first time a Welshman has achieved the prestigious and hard-fought accolade.

“We will all be cheering him on over the coming months as he competes in his final season and look forward to bidding him farewell as he makes September’s Tour of Britain his final race.”