“I can see the end now, and it's pretty close" - Geraint Thomas realistic on future as 'Watts Occurring' partner Luke Rowe announces retirement

On the eve of his 20th Grand Tour start, 37-year-old Geraint Thomas still has race-winning ambitions, especially after missing out by just 14 seconds at the Giro d'Italia last year. The Welshman is realistic however, that he doesn't have long left in the peloton.

“I can see the end now, and it's pretty close,” the former Tour de France winner tells BBC Sport Wales as his 'Watts Occurring' podcast partner and long-term INEOS Grenadiers teammate, Luke Rowe announced that 2024 will be his final year as a professional bike rider. “I've done 18 years and only got one and a half left. Make the most of it, just enjoy it."

Making his Grand Tour debut all the back at the 2007 Tour de France, Thomas has developed into one of the most well-regarded GC riders of his generation with four Grand Tour podiums under his belt including the Maillot Jaune from the 2018 Tour de France. "When I was a kid this is what I dreamed of doing, being in the biggest races and competing right at the death of them," he says. "So to be here now and in one of the strongest teams, being one of the guys with a real chance of succeeding, it's crazy really.”

Despite the heartbreak of last year's Giro, Thomas can look back fondly on his performance. “To be wearing the [leader's] jersey for half the race and to lose it on the last day obviously wasn't ideal. But I feel like Primoz Roglic won that rather than me losing the race," he reflects. “So that's what helped, I guess, but it'd still be nice to win, obviously. But I've done 18 years professionally now, racing. I've achieved what I have, and it kind of feels a bit more like a bonus round almost, rather than feeling like I have to prove something.”

If the Welshman is to go one better this time around however, the mighty Tadej Pogacar is standing in Thomas' way. “I think on paper he [Pogacar] is definitely the strongest but, as we all know, in any sport, a lot can happen. A lot can go right, go wrong and you’ve got to believe you've got a chance,” Thomas concludes. “Otherwise there’s no point even turning up, it would be a waste of time. So yeah, we're confident that we’ve got a strong team and we can do something in this race.”