Geraint Thomas aims for World Championship time trial glory

Geraint Thomas is aiming to finish his 2019 season with victory in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire in September. 

The Welshman, who won the Tour de France 12 months ago, last weekend finished runner-up in this year’s edition to Team Ineos colleague, Egan Bernal.

The 2019 race included just one individual time trial, starting and finishing in Pau, with Thomas finishing second to Deceuninck-Quick Step’s Julian Alaphilippe.

Speaking on the Watts Occurring podcast that he hosts with team-mate Luke Rowe, Thomas said: “Obviously I’ve got a decent base behind me now with all the training for the Tour plus the actual Tour, so hopefully I won’t have to do too much volume.”

Back in the game, new pod up with @GeraintThomas86 available on Spotify and Apple  https://t.co/pi2nJ83S2z

— Luke Rowe (@LukeRowe1990) August 1, 2019

He added that he hoped he could “just get out on the TT bike and smash out a few efforts and try and stay sober” – the latter a nod to the post-Tour de France celebrations that began on Sunday and continued during the week.

Another Team Ineos rider, Ben Swift, looks set to be Great Britain’s designated rider in the road race and Thomas said he would be happy to play a supporting role.

“I guess the Worlds being in the UK is a massive deal for us Brits, so I’d love to go there and do a job for Swifty, who I’m guessing will be the main man.”

Thomas was back on the bike on Wednesday on the turbo and ventured out on the road on Thursday.

“I needed a sweat,” he said of his brief break following Paris, “it’s crazy how quickly you swell up and feel terrible.

“After three months of living like a monk and then going to beers, burgers and pizzas, it doesn’t go down well.”

He added: “I’m just enjoying a bit of down time away from everyone because the Tour is so intense, especially having won last year, the whole build up is insane.”

“When you’re in it, you’ve got the media before and after every day, the fans asking for selfies, obviously you don’t mind but when there are hundreds every day you just can’t do it and you feel a bit of a dick sometimes when you ride past people.

“To have that every day for three weeks, it’s a lot.”