Paris-Nice 2016: Geraint Thomas holds off Alberto Contador to seal ‘biggest win of career’
The Briton rode out victorious in France
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Your support makes all the difference.A tooth-and-nail defence of his lead earned Geraint Thomas the Paris-Nice title yesterday by a scant but sufficient four seconds in what, even for an Olympic and Commonwealth champion, represents a landmark win in an already glittering career.
A blizzard of attacks by the runner-up Alberto Contador on yesterday’s three-hour trek through Nice’s mountainous hinterland left Thomas reeling and within an inch of cracking completely on the race’s final climb, the 7km Col d’Èze. But in a thrilling high-speed downhill pursuit of the Spaniard, Thomas’ former team-mate Richie Porte and Belgium’s Tim Wellens to the finish line in Nice, the 29-year-old Welshman turned the tables once more, Sky team-mate Sergio Henao leading him through the broad curves and helping him claw back second after precious second.
Finally 11th and just five seconds behind the breakaway trio at the line, Thomas has now become Team Sky’s fourth winner of Paris-Nice in five years, and Britain’s first since Sir Bradley Wiggins – with whom Thomas took Olympic team pursuit gold in Beijing – in 2012.
“When Contador went for it halfway up Col d’Èze, my legs gave way and I thought it was all over,” the Cardiff-born rider said afterwards. “It was horrible. I thought I’d even struggle to get on the podium. But I made a big effort and managed to pull back just enough time on the descent.
“It’s the biggest win of my career so far for sure – I mean, beating Contador, he’s one of the best stage racers ever. I’m over the moon.”
Thomas had moved into the overall lead on Saturday’s key mountain stage, where he finished second behind Ilnur Zakarin of Russia. But Contador, just 15 seconds back overall, was still a major threat.
Ever since 2014, when he crashed out of Paris-Nice on the second last day while leading, Thomas has had unfinished business with France’s second most important stage race.
But his victory yesterday was a big boost to his hopes of being Sky’s Plan B for the Tour de France, ready in the wings should team-mate and double winner Chris Froome falter in the crucial moments.
Just as with Wiggins in 2012, Thomas’ triumph in Paris-Nice represents a crucial step forward towards an even bigger goal, that of making his mark on the roads of France this summer.
The Welshman’s best ever climbing performance came in the Tour last year, when he only came unstuck in the final week. As he memorably described the day he cracked in the Alps: “Sometimes you’re the nail. I was a cheap little Ikea one today.”
With a stronger than ever focus on stage racing, he will only make the most fleeting of participations in this year’s upcoming Spring Classics, where he took Sky’s biggest one-day win last year in Belgium’s E3 Harelbeke. He has bigger ambitions now.
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