Geraint Thomas is in good spirits: "If the opportunity arises, I'm definitely going to try"

After fifteen stages, Geraint Thomas is in an impressive second place in the general classification of the Giro d'Italia, trailing behind the pink jersey rider Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) by just over one minute. The Welshman of INEOS Grenadiers took some time during the second rest day to have a chat with the press, and he notably answered many questions from IDLProCycling.com!

At exactly three o'clock, the Zoom press conference with 'G' commenced, with him comfortably positioned in the hotel's outdoor garden, most likely enjoying the delightful Italian spring sun. Before delving into the various questions posed by the different journalists regarding his former leadership in the 106th edition of the Tour of Italy, he wanted to say a few words about Mark Cavendish, who had only just announced his retirement from professional cycling after 2023. "He is one of the greatest sprinters of all time, perhaps even the very best," Thomas said in praise. Thomas knows 'The Manx Missile' very well.

Thomas hopes to secure a stage win on his birthday

The gentlemen rode together at the Sky team for only one year (in 2012), but they frequently encountered each other in the British national selection. "He has achieved an incredible palmares. I raced alongside him for over twenty years," Thomas, who is almost exactly one year younger, says. This is a reference to the fact that they were both avid track cyclists in the past and also frequently crossed paths at the British Cycling Academy. "We also rode together on the road in the junior and U23 categories. Moreover, I was there when he became world champion in 2011. It's actually strange to hear that he's retiring because that means my time is also approaching. It's funny how we always think we'll remain professional cyclists forever," Thomas states with a smile

After Thomas concluded his account of 'Cav', IDLProCycling.com had the honor of asking the first question. We noticed that on May 25th, when the demanding mountain stage to Val di Zoldo will take place, Thomas will be celebrating his 37th birthday. We took the opportunity to ask him if he would like the INEOS Grenadiers men to ride strongly in front that day, with the goal of gifting himself a stage victory as a birthday present. "It would be amazing to win on my birthday, but the main objective is still to win the overall race. We will take it day by day, and it depends on many factors. The team is in good form, and so am I. If the opportunity arises on my birthday, I will definitely give it a try."

"I would have liked to truly measure myself against the other guys," Thomas states regarding the disappointing 'battle' among the general classification riders

Like many cycling fans, Thomas, who wore the pink leader's jersey for four days, is somewhat disappointed with the first two weeks of the Giro, which were characterized by a series of anti-climactic battles among the general classification riders. "I would have liked to truly measure myself against the other guys. There were a few stages where, on paper, it could have come to a duel between the contenders for the pink jersey, but due to certain circumstances, it didn't happen. It may have looked easy on television, but in such seemingly easy stages, we still push three to four hundred watts. On the other hand, I don't want to attack purely for entertainment and end up losing a few minutes because I expended too much energy. However, the final week is guaranteed to be a spectacle."

In 2018, Thomas won the Tour de France, which he initially started as a key support rider for multiple winner Chris Froome. The amiable veteran has also won races such as Paris-Nice, the Tour de Suisse, the Tour de Romandie and E3 Harelbeke throughout his career. All those years, he has been easily recognizable on the bike by his white Oakley glasses, which at one point became his trademark. Whether those glasses truly brought him luck is questionable. This Giro, in which he is performing exceptionally well, is the first Grand Tour in years where he is not wearing his beloved glasses. Since this year, he has been wearing frames from the eyewear giant SunGod. When we playfully asked hi if it took some getting used to, he answered in the negative. "This is also a fantastic pair of glasses. It's always fun to stand out and be different from the rest. Anyone who needs me can instantly recognize me. That's convenient. Fortunately, they resemble my old glasses, and hopefully, they bring me luck."

"Schlager music? I would have to Google that first. I'm more of a hip-hop guy myself," Thomas said

During the remainder of the press conference, the majority of questions directed at Thomas focused on how he plans to approach the upcoming stages. "We have to take it day by day, but I feel really good, the team is performing strongly, and I'm very excited" was a recurring answer from the Cardiff native that hit the core of the matter. However, IDLProCycling.com was curious about the personality behind the climber/time trialist, so we asked the seasoned rider about his musical preferences. Music seems to be a hot topic in the cycling world, as evidenced by the fact that, for example, double stage winner Nico Denz (BORA-hansgrohe) tried to promote schlager music. "Schlagers are cool!" the German stated at his press conference.

When IDLProCycling.com bridged the conversation from Denz to Thomas and asked about his musical taste, he began his response by mentioning that he had never heard of schlager music before, indicating that Denz had a significant task ahead if he wanted to promote his national pride. "I would have to Google what schlager is. But my father-in-law is in a choir, and I really enjoy that. You can even listen to them on Watts Occurring," he said, indirectly promoting his own highly popular podcast. "Personally, I'm more of a hip-hop guy. But I prefer the old-school guys like Eminem and Tupac."

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