
British cycling legend and Tour de France winner plans IRONMAN triathlon after retirement
British cycling legend and Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas has revealed he is planning on completing an Ironman triathlon after confirming his retirement from the pro peloton will come at the end of this season.
A double Olympic Gold medallist in team pursuit, Thomas won cyclingās biggest prize when he triumphed in the Tour de France in 2018, becoming the first Welshman to do so.
Now, after achieving everything there is to win in cycling, heās turning his attention to swim, bike and run as he plots his retirement and future challenges.
Run will āneed workā
Like many retired elite athletes, Thomas is itching to continue pushing himself even when he leaves his day job behind.
Whilst the cycling section may be a breeze, he is under no illusions that the swim and run parts of an Ironman may take him some time to master.
Geraint Thomas is looking to challenge himself with an Ironman [Photo credit: INEOS Grenadiers]
āI want to do an Ironman,ā Thomas told the BBC.
āI only run two or three times a year, so thatās something that needs a bit of work! Itās about challenging myself in different ways.
āHaving options is always good. I need a purpose. Since I was about 17 or 18, Iāve always been working towards a goal.
āTo not be working towards anything would be nice for maybe a month, then Iāll just go crazy, so Iāll definitely have to have some goals.ā
Thomas will be able to get plenty of advice from his INEOS teammate Cam Wurf who has combined his cycling career with that of a pro triathlete and notched another top 10 at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona last year.
And he wonāt be the first retired athlete to cross sports and get into triathlon after he hangs up his saddle.
Former Germany international and football World Cup winner AndrĆ© SchĆ¼rrle for example recently confirmed he will be competing at Challenge Roth this year.
A Cardiff send off?
Whilst Thomas might be planning his dream Ironman schedule for the future, heās still got his eyes on the prize as he enters the final year of his career with cycling team INEOS Grenadiers.
āI think now the decision is official, you do start to reflect because when youāre in it, itās just one thing after the next, year after year, so you donāt really appreciate it,ā he said.
Thought it was time we made it official. Yes, this will be my last year in the peloton š¤ It’s not been a bad run eh? Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine being a pro for 19 years. There’ll be lots of time to reflect but, before then, I’ve got some big races to prep for š pic.twitter.com/7HTOBuEnXx
ā Geraint Thomas (@GeraintThomas86) February 17, 2025
āI guess at the time you enjoy it but I donāt think you sit back and reflect and think, so there will be a bit of that this year.
āThis is my 19th year as a professional and I didnāt want to do one year too many and be the grumpy guy in the team.
āIām still really enjoying it, I still feel competitive and the last year has been good, but I think the timingās right. With my family, Iām looking forward to moving back to Cardiff.ā
Thomas is still cycling at an elite level, having finished on the podium at the Giro dāItalia last year, and heāll be part of the INEOS team taking on the Tour de France this year in a supportive role.
His final race is set to be the Tour of Britain in September, which may potentially finish up in his hometown of Cardiff.
āIt would be epic if that happens. I havenāt really thought about it much, but when I do start thinking about it, itās going to be emotional. Maybe Iāll shed a tear or two,ā Thomas admitted in that extended BBC interview.
āIt would be some way to finish, whether itās Cardiff or wherever, the Tour of Britain as the final race. Itās full circle, isnāt it? Finishing my career back home.ā
With that in mind, maybe a Cardiff triathlon as a warm up before an Ironman is on the cards?