Geraint Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Geraint Thomas
OBE

Thomas at the 2018 Deutschland Tour
Personal information
Full name	Geraint Howell Thomas
Nickname	G
Born	(1986-05-25) 25 May 1986 (age 39) Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	71 kg (157 lb; 11 st 3 lb)
Team information
Current team	Ineos Grenadiers
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-rounder (road) Time trialist Climber Pursuiter (track)
Major wins
;Road Grand Tours Tour de France General classification (2018) 3 individual stages (2017, 2018) Stage races Paris–Nice (2016) Critérium du Dauphiné (2018) Tour de Romandie (2021) Tour de Suisse (2022) Bayern Rundfahrt (2011, 2014) Volta ao Algarve (2015, 2016) Tour of the Alps (2017) One-day races and Classics National Road Race Championships (2010) National Time Trial Championships (2018) E3 Harelbeke (2015) Track Olympic Games Team pursuit (2008, 2012) World Championships Team pursuit (2007, 2008, 2012)

Geraint Thomas is a famous Welsh professional cyclist. He was born on May 25, 1986, in Cardiff, Wales. Geraint is special because he has been very successful in both track cycling (racing on a special indoor track) and road cycling (racing on roads).

He has won three World Championships and two Olympic gold medals in track cycling. On the road, he made history by winning the 2018 Tour de France. He was the first Welsh person and the third British rider to win this huge race. Geraint is known for being good at many types of cycling, like time trials, climbing hills, and racing on bumpy roads.

Early Life and First Rides

Geraint Thomas grew up in Cardiff, Wales. He started cycling when he was just 10 years old. He joined the Maindy Flyers Cycling Club. He even rode with his future teammate, Luke Rowe, back then!

Geraint had some early wins in races for younger riders. His first big success was winning a silver medal in a European track cycling event in 2004.

Becoming a Professional Cyclist

Geraint joined the British Cycling Olympic Academy. In 2005, he had an accident during training. A piece of metal hit his bike, causing him to crash. He needed surgery, but he recovered and kept cycling.

First Tour de France (2007)

Geraint Thomas during his first Tour de France in 2007.

In 2007, Geraint Thomas raced in his first Tour de France. He was the youngest rider in the whole race! He was the first Welsh rider to compete in the Tour since 1967. He finished the race, which was a big achievement.

Olympic Gold Medals (2008 & 2012)

Geraint focused on track cycling for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was part of the British team pursuit squad. They broke the world record and won the gold medal!

He repeated this amazing feat at the 2012 London Olympics. His team pursuit squad broke their own world record again and won another gold medal. This made him a two-time Olympic champion.

Joining Team Sky (2010)

In 2010, Geraint joined the new British team, Team Sky. This was a big step in his career. That year, he won the British National Road Race Championships. He also wore the white jersey (for the best young rider) for several days at the 2010 Tour de France.

Road Race Success (2011-2017)

Thomas wearing the National Road Race Champion's jersey in 2011.

Geraint started winning more road races. In 2011, he won the Bayern Rundfahrt race in Germany. He also wore the white jersey again at the 2011 Tour de France.

In 2014, he won a gold medal in the road race at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He also won the Bayern Rundfahrt for a second time.

Thomas in the prologue of the 2015 Paris–Nice.

In 2015, Geraint won the Volta ao Algarve race and the E3 Harelbeke race. He also finished second in the Tour de Suisse. These wins showed he was becoming a top road cyclist.

Thomas at the 2016 Paris–Nice, a race that he won.

In 2016, he won the Paris–Nice race, which is a very important stage race. He also helped his teammate, Chris Froome, win the 2016 Tour de France.

At the 2017 Tour de France, Thomas took the race leader's yellow jersey after he won the opening stage.

In 2017, Geraint won the Tour of the Alps. He also won the first stage of the 2017 Tour de France, which meant he got to wear the famous yellow jersey! Sadly, he crashed out of the race later due to an injury.

Winning the Tour de France (2018)

Thomas wearing the yellow jersey on stage 12 of the 2018 Tour de France.

The year 2018 was Geraint's biggest year yet. He won the Critérium du Dauphiné, another important stage race. Then, he went to the 2018 Tour de France. He was supposed to help Chris Froome, but Geraint was riding incredibly well.

He won two mountain stages in a row, taking the yellow jersey. He kept the lead all the way to Paris, becoming the first Welshman to win the Tour de France! It was an amazing victory. After his win, the velodrome in Newport, Wales, was renamed the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome in his honor. He also won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

Tour de France Runner-up (2019)

Thomas leading Team Ineos teammate and eventual 2019 Tour winner Egan Bernal on the penultimate stage.

In 2019, Geraint Thomas finished second in the 2019 Tour de France. His teammate, Egan Bernal, won the race. This showed that Geraint was still one of the best Grand Tour riders in the world.

More Grand Tour Podiums (2022-2024)

Thomas at the 2022 Tour de France.

In 2022, Geraint won the Tour de Suisse. Later that year, he finished third in the 2022 Tour de France, getting on the podium for the third time. He also won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Thomas (right) wearing the maglia rosa riding with Primož Roglič (left) at the 2023 Giro d'Italia.

In 2023, Geraint competed in the 2023 Giro d'Italia. He wore the pink jersey (for the race leader) for several stages. He finished second overall, which was his first podium finish in the Giro. In 2024, he finished third in the 2024 Giro d'Italia, showing he is still a top cyclist.

Personal Life

Geraint Thomas is married to Sara Elen Thomas. They live in Monaco and also own a wedding venue in Chepstow, Wales. They have a son, who was born in 2019. Geraint is a big fan of the Arsenal football team.

Career Achievements

Major Results

Road

Track

World Records

Geraint Thomas has been part of teams that set world records in the team pursuit:

Awards and Honours

• BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2018
• BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2014, 2018

Images for kids

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  Thomas at the 2018 Deutschland Tour

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  Thomas at the 2009 Tour of Britain

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  Thomas at the 2010 Tour de France, wearing the white jersey of the young rider classification leader

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  Thomas at the 2012 Tour de Romandie, wearing the leader's jersey after winning the prologue.

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  Thomas at the 2013 Tour de France.

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  Thomas competing in the road time trial at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where he took the bronze medal.

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  Thomas on the final stage of the 2015 Tour de France, wearing a special kit to celebrate Chris Froome's overall victory.

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  Thomas at the 2018 Tour of Britain.