Unfinished business for Geraint Thomas at the Giro d’Italia

Geraint Thomas will lead Ineos Grenadiers at the 2020 Giro d’Italia and is determined to podium after finishing second at Tirreno-Adriatico

Thomas was surprisingly left out of his team’s line-up for the 2020 Tour de France, along with fellow Brit and former champion Chris Froome.

However, he says he has always wanted to compete again in the Giro d’Italia after crashing out of the Grand Tour event in 2017 and will be prioritising a good run in Italy.

“I’ve always wanted to come back and this year seemed the right time to do it,” he told the press.

“Obviously to start with I was disappointed because the Tour was the main goal. But not being selected – I wouldn’t put it in those sort of words because I could go there and do a job.

“But at the same time I’m at the stage of my career where I want to go to races and try to perform for myself.

Riders might settle for position rather than challenge Roglic or Pogacar.

“I don’t want to go – without sounding bad – to go and just ride for the team. I want to be fighting for the win myself.

“The Giro is something I’ve always wanted to do well in. Especially ever since crashing out in 2017 when I felt I was in really good shape.”

After missing the Tour, Thomas finished second at Tirreno-Adriatico behind Simon Yates and is hoping to be in peak condition by the start of the 2020 Giro on October 3.

“It’s not like I was in terrible shape. It was just lacking that last little bit. What the extra bit of training, the extra race days that Tirreno-Adriatico gave me, I'm confident I’ll be there 100% ready to go at the start of the Giro.”

Dave Brailsford and Ineos Grenadiers might be regretting their decision to leave Thomas out of the Tour de France team after Egan Bernal spectacularly cracked and subsequently pulled out of the Tour de France.

Luckily Kwiatkowski and Carapaz rescued their Tour de France ambitions.

This year’s race is expected to attract the most talented cyclists despite many riders prioritising the Tour de France along with the Classics in October 2020. Tour de France 2018 winner Geraint Thomas from team Ineos Team is sure to face stiff competition along the way. Twice winner Vincenzo Nibali, Jakob Fuglsang and Simon Yates are all participating. Peter Sagan is making his debut Giro D’Italia this year, forgoing the Classics. Nevertheless, he will be up against tough sprinters, including Pascal Ackermann and Arnaud Démare.

The Giro D’Italia is back with the Grande Partenza from Monreale on the 3rd, finishing off in Milan on 25th October. Sadly, last year's winner Remo Evenpoel crashed at Il Lombardia, but Geraint Thomas, Richard Carapaz, Jakob Fuglsang and many others will line up for what promises to be an unforgettable 2020 Giro d’Italia.