Geraint Thomas wins Tour de France 2018

Pausing at times along the way for a swig of Champagne, Geraint Thomas rode triumphantly, completing the final stage of the Tour de France and becoming the first Welshman to win the famed race. After years of being a supportive teammate to other Team Sky riders, like four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome, Thomas’s turn to win his first Tour de France arrived at the age of 32.

Thomas and the peloton completed the arduous, three-week race with a largely ceremonial 72-mile ride on the Champs Elysees. Thomas beat Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands by 1:51. Thomas’s Team Sky teammate, Froome, was third, 2:24 behind Thomas, who joins Froome (2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017) and Bradley Wiggins (2012) as the only British men to win the race. Six of the last seven Tours have been won by British riders.

Thomas has been known for grit and determination that surpasses what is the norm for cyclists. He rode in the 2013 Tour with a broken pelvis, saying it was “the worst pain I’ve ever experienced on a bike.” In 2005, he suffered a ruptured spleen when he was struck by a piece of metal during a ride in Australia. He has never finished better than 15th in a grand tour, partly because he has usually played a supportive role to his teammates.

Peter Sagan won the Green Jersey, the sprinter Jersey with 477 points. Julian Alaphilippe won the White with Red Polka dots Jersey, King of the mountains Jersey. Pierre Roger Latour won the White Jersey, the fastest overall rider under the age of 25. Best team Jersey was awarded to Movistar Team. Daniel Martin from UAE Team Emirates won the Super Combative Jersey.

Tour de France 2016

Chris Froome of Team Sky secured a third Tour de France title after crossing the finishing line in Paris alongside the Team Sky teammates who have helped propel him to victory. The British Rider, who previously won the punishing cycling race in 2013 and 2015, came to dominate the 2016 Tour, finishing more than four minutes ahead of Romain Bardet of AG2R La Mondiale in second place and Team Movistar Nairo Quintana in third.

Although final stage victory went to Andre Greipel of Lotto Soudal, it was Froome whose cumulative time of 89 hours, six minutes and 48 seconds over 21 grueling stages ensured he would be the last man atop the podium on the Champs Elysee. Froome overall win means that a British man and Team Sky rider have now won four out of the last five tours; a remarkable turn of events given Bradley Wiggins in 2012 victory was the first by a Briton since the event began in 1903.

Peter Sagan took home the green Jersey for best sprinter, Rafal Majka won the polka dot mountains jersey while the white jersey reserved for best young rider went to Adam Yates. Froome, a climbing specialist, took hold of the Yellow Jersey after attacking the final descent between Pau and Bagneres-de-Luchon on stage eight and refused to give it up over the ensuing weeks.

He again claimed victory at the stage 18 Mountain Time trial from Sallanches to Megeve. However, it was his unerring consistency in the stages between that extended his lead and kept the likes of Bardet and Quintana at bay.