VADUZ: Britain’s 2018 Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas tuned up for upcoming month’s race with over-all victory in the Tour of Switzerland after Sunday’s eighth and final stage.
The 36-year-previous Welshman sealed victory after the 25.6 km time-demo in Liechtenstein, won by Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel of Brief-Phase.
Thomas, an particular person time-trial expert, concluded 2nd 3 seconds driving the winner to snatch victory from Colombian Sergio Higuita who experienced started the working day sporting the leader’s yellow jersey.
“It’s super awesome obviously to acquire here. I hadn’t been back again here because 2015,” reported Thomas who concluded 2nd in the race seven several years ago.
“I dropped the jersey by a handful of seconds, so it’s great to come again to this race and win it.
“It’s sort of revenge. It was a complicated race. You had to be regular all 7 days. So I’m genuinely really glad.
“We missing Adam Yates at the commence of the week. I experienced to acquire the reins of the team. It is a excellent satisfaction for me.”
Higuita, riding for Bora-Hansgrohe, completed next in general 1min 12sec guiding the winner following clocking the 11th speediest time, with Dane Jacob Fuglsang having third position a additional four seconds back again.
Thomas, 36, follows on from his wins in phase races which include the two the Tour de France and Critérium du Dauphiné in 2018, the Paris-Wonderful in 2016 and the the Tour de Romandie in 2021.
The race was strike by a swathe of Covid-19 instances with all around 40 riders pulling out just after optimistic exams, and 79 starting the final stage.
And a handful of hours before the begin of the final phase, star sprinter Peter Sagan pulled out with Covid-19.
Russian Aleksandr Vlasov of Bora-Hansgrohe pulled out on Friday although wearing the leader’s jersey.
The day right before, it was Yates and the complete Jumbo-Visma group who had been compelled to give up.
A full of 4 full groups — Bahrain, Alpecin, UAE and Jumbo — had to go away the race immediately after beneficial assessments.