"Geraint Thomas: How an everyday rider conquered the Tour de France unlike Cav and Brad"

*"I’m pretty relaxed and don’t take myself too seriously outside of cycling,"* Geraint Thomas says, reflecting on the difference between his easygoing public image and his true self after stepping away from professional racing. The 2018 Tour de France winner adds, "People might think that's how I am in every part of my life. But when it came to training and competing, I was completely focused. I pushed myself to the limit every time, determined to perform at my absolute best."

The 39-year-old Welshman pauses as he considers his former teammates Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins: "Cav was always more outspoken. I wasn’t the type to announce my goals publicly. And Brad has talked about how he struggled with the rock-star persona he once had."

"I was nothing like them—just an ordinary guy from Cardiff you’d share a drink with at the pub, who somehow ended up winning the Tour. That’s the part people might find surprising if they don’t really know me. They don’t see the months of hard work from November to July. They only see the result and assume it was effortless, especially after a long career."

Thomas shakes his head. "But staying at that level took discipline, dedication, and a lot of hard work. That’s something I wanted to make clear in the book."

His new autobiography spans his remarkable career, from its greatest triumphs to its most difficult moments. Much like Thomas himself, the book is engaging, especially when detailing the relentless drive and endurance that set him far apart from "just a normal bloke."

"Absolutely," Thomas says quietly when asked if suffering is an inherent part of professional cycling. He remembers racing most of the 2013 Tour de France with a broken pelvis. Despite finishing near last, he played a crucial role in Chris Froome’s victory—mirroring his struggles in 2007 when, as the youngest rider and a track specialist, he faced the grueling mountain stages. "In both ’07 and ’13, I was in pain every single day. You find out how much more you can endure than you ever imagined. You finish exhausted, thinking, ‘That’s it, I’m done.’ But then you eat, sleep, and wake up ready to go again. That refusal to quit is what makes you stronger."

Thomas adds, "The hard part is the training. The racing is fun—there’s excitement, fans, adrenaline. But the real test is in those solitary hours of preparation, pushing yourself when no one’s watching."

Now that he’s retired, having finished his final race last month, will he miss any of it? "I’ll miss the intensity, the routine, and having a goal to chase."