"I have a lot of respect for Cavendish and Roglic, but actually even more for what Thomas taught us" - Jose de Cauwer praises Geraint Thomas for his reaction to Giro d'Italia heartbreak

Geraint Thomas may have lost the Maglia Rosa on the penultimate stage of the 2023 Giro d'Italia, but his classy post-stage interview and the subsequent aiding of Mark Cavendish in the final sprint in Rome has earned the Welshman plenty of plaudits, including Jose de Cauwer.

"From the beginning of the broadcast, you saw Thomas talking to Roglic for minutes. He was very relaxed, I've rarely seen that. And that after he lost the pink jersey on the penultimate day," said a shocked de Cauwer in conversation with Karl Vannieuwkerke as part of Sporza's coverage of the Giro d'Italia. "Then there's that effort for Cavendish, phenomenal and what sportsmanship. Very nice. Cycling today consists of sportsmen who allow each other to win."

Inside, the disappointment of coming so close but yet so far to a second Grand Tour win of his career must have been hard for the INEOS Grenadiers leader to stomach. On the outside however, Thomas was displaying no signs of heartbreak. Firstly giving plenty of praise to Primoz Roglic, not looking to make excuses and then helping his longtime friend Mark Cavendish end his final Giro d'Italia with an emotional stage win.

"Of these men in the race, Roglic was the deserved winner. Although yesterday I thought it was once again a plea that these kinds of time trials do not belong on the course," de Cauwer says. "I have a lot of respect for Cavendish and Roglic, but actually even more for what Thomas taught us."