Tour de France: Geraint Thomas climbs up standings but misses Tourmalet bonus

Published on Thursday 14 July 2011 19:53

Britain's Geraint Thomas enjoyed another eventful day at the Tour de France - including a near 200-kilometre ride at the front, two tumbles and missing out on a €5,000 prize.

The 25-year-old Team Sky rider from Cardiff was one of the main protagonists on yesterday's 211km 12th stage from Cugnaux to Luz-Ardiden - winning the prix de combative award for the day's most aggressive rider after being denied a cash prize for being the first rider over the 2011 Tour's first hors categorie (beyond category) climb, the Col du Tourmalet.

Thomas, who fell twice in quick succession earlier in the day, was beaten to the summit of the 17.1km fabled Pyrenean peak by breakaway companion Jeremy Roy (FDJ) and was unaware of the prize.

"No wonder he went for it," said Thomas, "five thousand Euros - you can buy a lot of beers with that."

The Welshman, who received a consolation of €2,000 for being the day's most combative rider, said he was conserving energy on the Tourmalet for the day's third major climb, the 13.3km hors categorie ascent to the finish at Luz-Ardiden.

"I was feeling good and the buzz from the crowd helped a lot," he added. "I found myself going a bit too hard (up the Tourmalet), I had to back off."

Thomas wore the white jersey for best young rider until last Friday when he lost three minutes 18 seconds waiting for Team Sky leader Bradley Wiggins, who crashed out with a broken collarbone.

And he has been in the thick of the action throughout the 12 days of racing thus far. Thomas, who began the day in 31st place overall, 5mins 51secs behind yellow jersey incumbent Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), was the virtual race leader early in the stage after making the six-man break, which escaped after 2km.

Thomas did not contest the intermediate sprint after 92km, but Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad), wearing the points classification leader's green jersey and a green helmet, did - leading the peloton across the line in seventh place to strengthen his position.

Thomas reached the summit of the Tour's first category one climb, the La Hourquette d'Ancizan, with his breakaway companions but in the early part of the descent he encountered trouble. On a corner occupied by a spectator waving a Welsh flag, Thomas lost control of his back wheel and skidded off the side of the road.

He had to jump off to avoid falling down a steep drop, before remounting and sliding off the road on the other side at the next corner.

Thomas, who had not seen the Red Dragon, said: "It looked a bit of a drop so I thought I better crash now before going off down there. The second one was just stupid. I think I had a bit of mud on my tyres and couldn't slow down quickly enough."

Thomas' fellow escapees went on without him, but he caught them up on the descent before passing them by setting a high tempo up the Tourmalet.

Along with Roy, Thomas reached the foot of the final climb little more than three minutes clear.

"I didn't think it would be enough, but you've got to try," he said. "When they caught us by 7km to go I thought it wasn't too bad, but it still took me about half an hour to get up."

Thomas ended up trailing in in 36th place, 5:20 behind stage winner Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), but moved up to 25th overall, 10:21 adrift of Voeckler.

Thomas added: "It's just great to be up the front racing on a day like today. We're missing Brad and wanted to get stuck into the race. We got out there and gave it a good bash."

Frenchman Voeckler finished 50 seconds behind Sanchez to retain the maillot jaune on Bastille Day, but three-time champion Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard) lost time to his major rivals. Frank Schleck (Leopard Trek) was third, behind Sanchez and Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto), to go second overall, 1:49 behind. Andy Schleck finished 30 seconds back with Cadel Evans (BMC Racing).

Contador is 4:00 behind Voeckler but crucially 2:11, 1:54 and 1:43 behind Frank Schleck, third-placed Evans and fourth-placed Andy Schleck, respectively.