"A bit nervous, not sure what to expect" - 'Apprehensive' Geraint Thomas readying himself for emotional Tour de France farewell

An icon of the modern peloton, former Maillot Jaune winner Geraint Thomas embarks on the final Tour de France of his career this weekend. Understandably, the emotions were high for the INEOS Grenadiers star at the team presentation on Thursday.

In conversation with TNT Sports in Lille, the 39-year-old Welshman was asked to weigh up how he is feeling ahead of his last ever Tour de France appearance. "I'm a bit apprehensive," admitted Thomas somewhat uncharacteristically for a rider so well known for taking things as they come and brushing off any disappointments. "I feel a bit like 2007 again (his first Tour de France ed.), just a bit nervous, not sure what to quite expect."

This race has long been earmarked as a key point in Thomas' retirement tour in 2025, but after crashing out of the Tour de Suisse last month with a knee injury, things momentarily looked in doubt. Thankfully however, the 2018 Tour de France winner has been able to recover in time for a send-off at the biggest race on the cycling calendar.

"I feel like I've worked hard to be in decent shape. Obviously it would have been nice to have completed Swiss [Tour de Suisse] and got that in the legs," he says of his condition heading into the Tour. "I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully, we're going to have a good race for myself and the team."

When asked what advice he would give to his younger self starting out at the Tour de France for Barloworld back in 2007, Thomas smiles thoughtfully, before responding: "Just enjoy it, soak it all up, because it goes super quick. Everyone tells you that when you are young; time flies, make the most of it. So just get stuck in, enjoy it, take from it what you can."