Geraint Thomas talked this week about his time off the bike, and how he enjoyed it with friends and family, frequently getting a few drinks in. The Welshman seems to have found a good formula to performance and now he takes on the first step in preparing for 2024 - he's travelled to the good weather of California, USA, to put in the miles on the bike.
"That blowout – that real normality – is what I need, because now I'm like, 'Mate, I really need to just get on my bike and get structured'. I feel like I've been able to enjoy my time," Thomas shared in an interview with The Times last week. "It's rare now that a young rider actually has a drink. Not that you've got to have a drink to have a good time. It just shows the difference in the mentality – everything is measured, and they're all on it 12 months of the year. Even in the off-season they still ride their bikes or they're running marathons." These words were ultimately quite popular among fans.
He's talked about how he feels the need to have that off time, and that the weight he gains and form he loses throughout the off season motivates him to be able to train hard and have a good structure as the racing season approaches. If there were doubts that this is a risky tactic for an athlete of his level, the results show that it has, as he's talked about having reached his best numbers over the past two years, where he's finished on the podium of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.
In those two races lies another question. Having re-signed for another two years with INEOS Grenadiers, he will have more chances to race in the three-week events. Which one he will pick for 2024 is yet to be answered. "The Giro is classic Giro, really. It's going to be super tough. It would be nice to go back there after this year, but at the same time, the Tour is quite appealing," he's told. Currently Thomas trains around Malibu together with teammate Cameron Wurf before returning to Europe.
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