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Chris Froome entrusted the management of Team Sky to Geraint Thomas after seeing the Welsh extend his lead in the Tour de France on the 17th stage.
The reigning champion came to France in search of a fifth crown The Giro-Tour doubled, but after fainting in the last two kilometers on Wednesday, Froome said that "I'm looking for a fifth crown. he was away for Thomas
"It was a tough day, an intense day, but I have no regrets," Froome said. . "G's ran an amazing race, he deserves to be in yellow and fingers crossed that he's holding up right now in Paris."
A short 65km stage from Bagnères-du-Luchon to the summit of Portet Pbad was designed to be explosive from the start, but despite the efforts of an F1-style breakthrough, Did not come to life before the final climb.
While Nairo Quintana won the stage in front of Irishman Dan Martin, Thomas claims He dominates Tom Dumoulin and Primoz Roglic in the last few hundred meters, collecting four seconds on the road and four seconds in time additional.
Thomas now leads a minute and 59 seconds behind Tom Dumoulin of the Sunweb team, with Froome falling in third place, two minutes and 31 seconds after conceding 48 more seconds.
He may be the defending champion, but Froome will serve Thomas for the rest of the Tour.
"It's professional cycling, that's what eam is all about," he said. "I'm happy to be in the position I'm in. I've won the last three Grand Tours I've done now, but I'll always fight for the podium." we want to see G up there in yellow. "
If there was a doubt about Froome, Thomas revealed that he had told her via the radio of the team that he was fighting, giving Thomas permission to follow Dumoulin and Roglic.
"Froomey said on the radio maybe with four or five kilometers to make that he did not feel great and that gave me confidence," Thomas said. Because if Froomey was hurting, everyone was suffering and I felt good.
"Obviously, I did not want him to have a bad day, as he did. It just gave me confidence that someone of his stature was struggling. "
No danger as it is a repeat of the difficult relationship between Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins during his victory in the 2012 Tour.
I'm just open and honest from the beginning," says Thomas "Maybe it's hard to believe sometimes after things with him and Brad, but we are sincerely good friends and honest and open.I think that's the main reason for our success up until now." Here at this Tour. "
The bad day of Froome was aggravated after the step, when he was knocked over from his bike in a misunderstanding with a policeman, who had thought that He was a fan
Images also emerged which suggested that Thomas's last sprint for third place was almost thwarted by a spectator who broke through the barriers to try to catch him.
Dumoulin had He attempted an attack on his own at the end of the climb, but the Dutchman, who, like Froome, had the Giro of Italy in his legs, admitted that he could not hold up
"Thomas was stronger than me." "I saw that Froome was in trouble but I did not know if it was a bluff so I waited a bit for my I went and I tried but I did not have legs to drop Thomas and Roglic. "
Quintana won on stage despite two mechanical problems, and the win was over. 39, saw back the overall standings, now three The Movistar rider attacked near the foot of the 16-km climb following a move launched by Martin, although he quickly shook the runner United Arab Emirates who has been left to pursue him alone.
Froome was not the only one to crack in the end while Romain Bardet, of AG2R La Mondiale, and Mikel Landa, his teammate from Quintana, were also eliminated.
Peter Sagan, World Champion Val Louron-Azet Pbad
The Bora-Hansgrohe runner described the incident in a typically colorful way before confirming his intention to run, only needing to surrender in Paris to confirm a sixth career green jersey.
"I left in the forest and hit a big rock with my bad," said the Slovak. "Of course I'm hurt but it could be worse."
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