Here's what most people completely misunderstand about Geraint Thomas – and it might change how you see champions forever.
'I'm nothing like Cav or Brad': How Geraint Thomas defied expectations to conquer the Tour de France
When you meet Geraint Thomas off the bike, you encounter someone remarkably easygoing who refuses to take himself too seriously. But here's where it gets controversial – this relaxed demeanor masks an intensity that few people ever witness. As the 2018 Tour de France champion reflects on his retirement, he reveals a striking disconnect between public perception and private reality.
"People see my casual side and automatically assume that's who I am in every situation," Thomas explains. "But that couldn't be further from the truth when it came to my training regimen and competitive racing. I approached those aspects with absolute seriousness. Every single thing I could possibly do to maximize my performance, I did. Going as deep as humanly possible wasn't optional – it was mandatory. That hunger to excel defined me."
The 39-year-old Welsh cycling legend pauses thoughtfully before drawing comparisons to his former peers Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins. "Cav never held back – he was vocal and outspoken about everything. That wasn't my style. I kept my ambitions and goals private. And Brad has recently opened up about his personal struggles, even while projecting that rock-star persona to the world."
"I represented something completely different from both of them," Thomas continues. "Just an ordinary guy from Cardiff – the kind of person you'd meet at your local pub for a casual pint – who somehow managed to win cycling's most prestigious race. And this is the part most people miss... When people don't truly know you, that contrast seems bizarre to them. They witness the final result but remain completely blind to the grueling work spanning from November through to the July race. They observe the polished end product and mistakenly believe it came easily, particularly when you've maintained a lengthy career."
Thomas shakes his head with a knowing smile. "But sustaining that elite level demanded unwavering determination, strict discipline, and total commitment – and let me tell you, that was brutally difficult. Conveying that reality was one of my primary motivations for writing the book."
Thomas's newly released autobiography chronicles the complete spectrum of his remarkable journey, encompassing both the extraordinary triumphs and the devastating setbacks. Much like Thomas himself, the book radiates accessibility and charm, yet it reaches its most powerful moments when documenting the relentless ambition and physical suffering that prove he's anything but that "ordinary guy in a pub."
"Absolutely, absolutely," Thomas responds softly when I question whether suffering fundamentally defines professional cycling. He recalls completing nearly the entire 2013 Tour de France while racing with a fractured pelvis. Despite finishing second-to-last among 141 competitors, he still contributed significantly to Chris Froome's overall victory. This mirrored his final placement in 2007 when, as the youngest Tour participant, he was essentially a track specialist with zero experience tackling punishing mountain climbs.
"During both '07 and '13, I endured suffering every single day, and those experiences teach you that you can push deeper and endure far more than you ever imagined possible. You cross the finish line thinking: 'I'm absolutely destroyed, there's literally no way I can continue.' But then you eat dinner, sleep, and wake up thinking – 'Alright, let's go again.' There's not a single fiber of your being that considers quitting. That process only makes you more resilient."
Thomas elaborates: "The training represents the genuinely difficult part. Racing becomes comparatively easy when you have passionate fans, emotional energy, and adrenaline coursing through you. That's the enjoyable aspect. It's all those countless hard miles you must complete that demand such extraordinary self-discipline. Most of the time you're training alone. Nobody's standing there monitoring you, ensuring you actually go out and complete the work."
Now that his competitive career has concluded, with Thomas completing his final professional race just last month, will he find himself missing elements of that suffering? "I'll definitely miss the intensity, the structured routine, and having that concrete goal to pursue and that pressure to manage. That's been my entire existence for over 20 years. You wake up every morning with absolute clarity about what you're doing and why you're doing it. That's what I'll need to rediscover, otherwise you start going a bit crazy. I want to tackle an Ironman or something similar that will challenge me both mentally and physically."
Thomas's remarkable longevity stands out as, perhaps, the most impressive dimension of his entire career. "I believe so," he concurs. "I recently learned that my 18-year span from my debut Tour to my final Tour represented the longest duration by any rider during that era. It's something that fills me with genuine pride. All the victories are wonderful, but maintaining competitiveness and remaining at the pinnacle for that extended period is truly special."
He highlights his 2018 Tour de France triumph and his Olympic gold medals from 2008 and 2012 as "massive" achievements, but he feels "equally proud of bouncing back from all the disappointments and injuries."
Thomas arguably deserved to win at least one additional Grand Tour, and losing the 2023 Giro d'Italia remains his most painful near-miss. He appeared destined to claim victory until, on the second-to-last day, he unexpectedly surrendered the lead to Primoz Roglic. "The Giro was undoubtedly painful and represents the one that slipped away. But I harbor no regrets whatsoever."
Last year, Thomas demonstrated his enduring excellence by securing his fifth Grand Tour podium finish, placing third in the Giro – trailing Danny Martínez and the dominant Tadej Pogacar. "I felt incredibly proud of that achievement," Thomas states. "Obviously, an exceptionally special talent in Pog won the race. So it essentially became a battle for second place. Danny edged me out, but reaching the podium at 38 made me equally proud as winning the Tour."
When evaluating the greatest competitors he faced throughout his career, Thomas discusses Peter Sagan and Froome before making it abundantly clear that Pogacar stands as the most brilliant of them all. "Sagan possessed extraordinary talent and, despite not having a typical climber's physique, some of the climbs he conquered and races he won were absolutely incredible. Froomey as well, especially considering his Kenyan background. He simply possessed that engine, that raw natural talent. But it's nearly impossible to look past Pogacar. He's unquestionably the best of this generation, and what he's accomplishing is surreal – winning one-day classics all the way through to Grand Tours, absolutely destroying everyone in the Alps. It's mind-blowing."
Thomas firmly believes that Pogacar's success stems from pure talent combined with hard work, and he argues passionately that the sport has never been cleaner. "100%. It's convenient for me to say: 'Well, if I can win the Tour clean, then literally anyone can' – but for me, it diminishes the present that we still must constantly discuss doping. At the same time, that scrutiny genuinely helped clean up the sport dramatically. I believe there's significantly more testing in cycling than in other sports."
A particularly sobering section in his book recounts how, back in 2006, he briefly rode as a stagiaire for the Spanish team Saunier Duval. He chose not to extend his internship, and two years later Saunier became embroiled in a doping scandal and were forced to withdraw from the Tour mid-race. "Had I actually joined Saunier Duval or Phonak/iShares, I might have encountered a completely different world. How would I have responded, as a young man surrounded by powerful influences and ingrained habits? I'm fortunate I never had to discover the answer."
Thomas reflects now: "I was fortunate I didn't join that team and was never placed in that compromising position. Sky arrived and the entire British Cycling philosophy became my safety net." He dedicated 15 years to Team Sky, which rebranded as Ineos Grenadiers in 2019, but the legacy of Dave Brailsford's project has been clouded by numerous controversies that have never received complete answers. Surely there were occasions when Thomas approached management demanding to know what was happening – from the Jiffy-gate scandal involving Dr. Richard Freeman to this year's revelations that David Rozman, a long-standing Ineos staff member, had departed the Tour after the International Testing Agency launched an investigation into alleged messages he exchanged in 2012 with convicted doping doctor Mark Schmidt.
"The team's handling of it wasn't ideal," Thomas admits regarding the Rozman situation. "But it's a complicated issue when you hire a doctor who's been in cycling for a while. I'm absolutely not suggesting they're all corrupt, but if someone's been in the sport for 15 years, the probability of them having some connection to someone questionable is fairly high. It's been challenging, all these incidents occurring over the years with the team. But as a rider, all you can really do is focus on yourself and the upcoming race."
Rozman was also integrated into the British Cycling setup at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, so Thomas has known him for an extended period. Was he shocked by the news of Rozman's connections to Schmidt? "I wasn't shocked that he knew some doctor who turned out to be somewhat suspect. But simply knowing someone doesn't automatically make you guilty. I was surprised at how rapidly it escalated and the negative media coverage he received."
Surely he recognizes that Ineos and Rozman were facing legitimate and important questions? "Yes, but I believe it could have been investigated without everything becoming public immediately. I think if you examined other teams with equal intensity, you'd find plenty of questions about them too. It demonstrates we're held to a different standard than many other teams."
Ineos has struggled competitively in recent years, and it makes perfect sense that they'll offer Thomas a new position next year to help enhance the team's connection with their riders. "It will involve examining their objectives and how they're going to achieve them. So it's a position where I'll collaborate alongside the coaches and the DS [directeur sportif] and serve as that bridge between senior management and the riders – with the ultimate goal of advancing myself in the coming years. I've accumulated extensive knowledge and experience regarding racing, but there will be substantial learning for me from Dave as well."
Thomas emphasizes: "We still need to finalize all the details, so nothing's definitively completed or official yet. But I genuinely believe I can contribute significantly to their progress moving forward, so that's exciting."
Countless different emotions flooded through him on his final day of competitive racing as the Tour of Britain concluded in his hometown of Cardiff. "I felt a lump forming in my throat and was nearly choking up while still on the bike during the final 3 kilometers. Some riders kept approaching me saying: 'Oh, G, it's been incredible to ride with you, it's been an honor.' I was attempting not to focus too much on it because it was making me emotional."
He recalls that "in the final kilometer, Swifty [Ben Swift] and I were riding side by side. We started racing together when we were just 12 years old, so finishing alongside one of my closest friends was incredibly special."
What thoughts ran through his mind as he crossed that finish line? "The primary thing was simply trying not to cry because I recognized that chapter was closing, and it's not a sad moment. It was joyous and celebratory. I was thinking: 'I can't start crying right now.'"
Thomas smiles, but soon that defining ambition resurfaces as he contemplates the future. "It's something that's always existed within me, this desire to push myself and achieve the best possible results. Even during school, with GCSEs or A-levels, despite being busy racing my bike, I still wanted to excel academically. So whatever path I ultimately pursue now, I absolutely still want to be as good as I possibly can be."
But here's the question nobody's asking: Is Thomas's "normal bloke" image actually what made him MORE successful than the flashier champions? Does cycling – and maybe all sports – need fewer rock stars and more quiet warriors? Drop your thoughts in the comments – do you think his approach is the blueprint for success, or did he succeed DESPITE being understated?
According to G by Geraint Thomas is published by Quercus
