The winner of the Volta ao Algarve in 2015 and 2016, with six participations to his identify, Geraint Thomas has turn out to be a well-known determine in Portugal’s best-known early-season stage race over the past decade.
However, after his announcement earlier this week of his retirement on the finish of 2025, there may very well be little doubt that this yr’s race begin at Portimão on Wednesday was most likely probably the most particular of his profession.
“I sort of knew about it for some time, to be trustworthy, so it was sort of bizarre to simply announce it to everybody,” Thomas advised reporters, together with Cyclingnews, on the sign-on at Portimão’s riverfront.
“It wasn’t prefer it was a secret of something and I used to be shocked it had such an influence on the media again residence within the UK.
“But it is good to announce it now ‘cos then I can simply actually get pleasure from this final yr, figuring out that that is what it’s, it is on the market and stuff. I’m wanting ahead to this race now.”
Thomas’ nineteenth and closing street season started on the Tour Down Under earlier than he took on the Surf Coast Classic and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race. Last week, he travelled to Portugal for his first and solely participation within the Figueira Champions Classic.
However, the Volta ao Algarve, an occasion with which he’s way more acquainted, is his first race since asserting his retirement on Monday.
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“I’ll try to soak it up, as a result of you already know it is not going to final eternally. It’s an awesome life being an expert athlete, so I wish to actually benefit from it, and simply try to benefit from the racing, being with the boys,” Thomas mentioned.
“I wish to actually benefit from it. The racing has nonetheless received a toughness about it, issues like losing a few pounds and so forth, and I’ll attempt to get pleasure from all of it.”
After a lot early success in Algarve, Thomas recognised that it was a very long time since he had been a serious contender within the five-day early season race, again when he was honing his kind for the Spring Classics.
Rather than the cobbles of Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix – each of which he’ll miss fully this yr – Thomas’ main targets in his closing yr as a professional are a lot later within the season.
That mentioned, including one other victory to his profession whole of 25, could be very a lot in his final hitlist as a professional racer, regardless of the date.
“I’ll endure spherical for the second, work laborious within the subsequent month, do my bit for the boys. It’d be good to try to win a race in my final season and I’d like to go to the Tour de France another time, we’ll see.”
Thomas is predicted to participate in Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya earlier than the Tour of Romandie. However, he admitted he had a smooth spot for Algarve, too, given it is a race the place he is had his justifiable share of success up to now.
“It’s a pleasant route, clearly it is modified lots this yr with the ultimate TT” – the primary uphill race towards the clock within the historical past of the race – “however I’ve all the time discovered it is a good strategy to begin.
“Earlier in my profession, I used to be lot extra able to race right here, so now it is a slower construct. But I’ve all the time loved racing right here, no matter.”