Geraint Thomas: It's not the way I wanted the Giro d'Italia lead

Geraint Thomas at the Giro d'Italia 2023
Geraint Thomas at the Giro d'Italia 2023 (Image credit: Getty Images)

“It’s not the way I wanted to get the Giro d’Italia lead, but it’s what’s happened,” was how Geraint Thomas summed up his attitude to taking command of the corsa rosa after Remco Evenepoel was forced to abandon because of COVID-19.

Speaking on the first rest day at the Giro d'Italia, the Welshman described losing “any rider in the Giro” to COVID as “a massive loss, but especially losing a World Champion Remco is a real disappointment for the race.”

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.