Geraint Thomas on stage 1 of the Tour de France.
Eight days after the start of the Tour de France and five days after dislocating his shoulder, Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) saw his hopes for the general classification fade on Saturday. The 2018 Tour winner was dropped early in Stage 8, the first day in the high mountains so far in this race.
Thomas lost contact with the peloton less than 10 km from the special in the middle of a fast start on slippery roads. The Ineos Grenadiers did not send a contingent of servants back to help the former Tour winner, instead focusing their efforts around Richard Carapaz.
Thomas joined a number of other laggards, but the gap with the field only widened and it was clear that Thomas would not be returning to the field. Eventually, former pre-race favorite Primož RogliÄ (Jumbo-Visma) was pulled from the field and would eventually join Thomas and the rest of his squad.
Halfway through, Thomas and Roglic were eight minutes from the peloton.
Thomas’ tough ride in the Alps comes five days after he dislocated his shoulder in a fall on stage three. Although he was put back in place halfway through the race and Thomas was able to continue, the 35-year-old Welshman did not put on the performance he would have hoped for in the Stage 5 time trial, clearly still affected by the injury. Then, in Friday’s Stage 7 final, he was briefly abandoned as the peloton came back up a late climb.
He arrived on Saturday in stage 8 in 13th position in the general classification, 5:29 behind race leader Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and 1:36 behind Tour 2020 winner Tadej PogaÄar (UAE-Team Emirates). Now, however, Thomas GC’s hopes have completely vanished.
After eight days of racing on the Tour, Richard Carapaz is the only Ineos Grenadier within two minutes of the defending Tour champion.
