Sunday 5 April 2015 17:01, UK
Geraint Thomas is full of confidence heading into the Tour of Flanders and believes the race could be one of the most open in years.
Geraint Thomas is full of confidence heading into the Tour of Flanders and believes the race could be one of the most open in years.
Thomas will be Team Sky’s leader on Sunday following an impressive start to his classics campaign, with a stunning solo victory at E3 Harelbeke being followed by a top-three finish at Gent-Wevelgem, despite crashing midway through the race.
Those results came on the back of a promising Paris-Nice display which saw Thomas and Richie Porte claim a Team Sky 1-2 on the Croix de Chaubouret before a second tumble denied the Welshman a shot at the yellow jersey.
That encouraging form means Thomas goes into the Flanders as one of the favourites, but is refusing to let that pressure get to him as he counts down to his most important race of the season.
He said: “I’m on a nice little roll and the team are too. I’ve started the year really well and last weekend was great for my confidence. To get the win on the Friday and then the podium on the Sunday was a big boost, so hopefully I can get a similar result at Flanders.
“I’m used to pressure. The OIympics were pretty intense because the margins for error in track racing are so small, so it’s nothing new to me. You get used to it and my approach is to just let it go over my head and focus on what I have got to do.
“But to be named as one of the favourites is massive. It’s a race I grew up watching and dreaming of racing one day, so to be talked about as someone who could possibly win it is pretty special.
“There is no slipping under the radar any more, but I would have rather have had a good weekend last weekend and got those results than missed out and come here pressure-free.
“It will give us something extra to think about because maybe a few of the other guys will be looking at us, but I’d rather be feeling good and going into this race with confidence than not.”
Learn about the new bike Team Sky will debut at Flanders
With Fabian Cancellara (broken vertebrae) and Tom Boonen (dislocated shoulder) both missing the 99th edition through injury, Thomas knows there has never been a better chance of him taking his first Monument triumph. The 29 year old insists though, that there will be many equally-strong contenders eyeing up the prize, and knows Team Sky will have to play their cards right if they stand any chance of victory.
“It’s going to be a very tactical race,” he added. “It always comes down to legs but, at the same time, tactics will play a major part. With big guns like Boonen and Cancellara out, everybody else has got a real chance now and there are some strong teams out there – BMC, Quick-Step, and strong individuals like Peter Sagan and Sep Vanmarcke.
“The tactics will be interesting but we will have a plan and hopefully everyone can stick to that and we will be there or thereabouts.
“Everyone is feeling good, riding strong, and we’re all feeding off each other. Anything can happen going into this race and Paris-Roubaix, but we are in the best position the team has ever been in so it’s just a matter now of executing our plan in both races.”
