Geraint Thomas is happy to see former teammate Wout Poels win a stage: "I don't know if he was bluffing, but Remco didn't look at his best"

As a former teammate, Geraint Thomas was not surprised that Wout Poels beat Remco Evenepoel in the sprint of the twentieth stage of the Vuelta a España. The Welshman was, just like Poels and Evenepoel, in a large leading group.

Thomas and Poels rode together for many years for Team Sky, the current INEOS Grenadiers. "The fact that he wins a stage is not surprising," Thomas said at Eurosport. "He was already good at the Tour, and now here. He has been in super form, especially in the last week. He is also fast. I just said: when we were in the same team he would always kick my ass in a sprint. Although that is not very difficult," Thomas jokes. "Wout, however, is certainly fast at the finish."

"It is still a bit surprising that he beats Remco," continues Thomas, who noticed along the way that Evenepoel wasn't at his best. "I don't know if he was bluffing, but Remco didn't look at his best. Although Wout is no longer my teammate these days, it was nice to see him win," Thomas is happy for his former teammate.

"I felt a bit better than previous days, but I also had some setbacks. There is always a chance, so you have to try. However, that last climb was very steep and I didn't feel one hundred percent. I gave it my all. Unfortunately I didn't have it today, but that's how it goes sometimes."