British champion tells VeloNation about his anger at the unfounded slur to his reputation
In the second part of our interview with Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas he talks about his hopes, and the team’s goals, in the upcoming Tour de France. In last year’s race he finished second on the stage across the cobbles of northern France, and spent four days in the best young rider’s jersey. This year though, with the return of the team time trial to the race, his race will be a little different.
Before last year’s race though, the British champion was listed as a six out of ten on what has become known as the “Index of Suspicion”, which was leaked in the media last month. This angered him at the time, and he told us his thoughts about why he’d been rated so high, and what the leak had meant to him.
“It’s just the fact that my name was tarnished really,” he told us, “which is never a nice thing.”
He also expresses a little surprise that, although he was apparently labelled as risk, he was not subject to any extra testing.
“If they are going to make a list, then at least get out there and test us,” he said.
You can read the first part of the interview, where we discussed the ongoing Critérium du Dauphiné and his upcoming defence of the British champion’s jersey, here.
VeloNation: Do you know if you definitely in the Tour team or are you simply on a list of possibles?
Geraint Thomas: I haven’t been told officially yet, but barring illness or injury I’m pretty confident I’ll be in the team anyway.
VN: You had a really good race last year, especially in the first week where you finished second in the cobbled stage and wore the white jersey for a few days. Will you be going there looking to do something similar this time?
GT: It’s a similar thing really to here [at the Dauphiné – ed]. The first stage is there for the team to try and win, that ‘s for sure; but even more so, the team time trial the next day is massive, and I feel I play a key role in that, in the team.
I think that’s the main goal going there, and if we won that it would be great, you know, it’s a stage win for all of us. I think, potentially, the jersey would come with that.
It’s a bit like last year; if I happen to be in the position to take it then it would be great, but at the same time to work for Brad for the GC, and Eddy, or whoever, in the sprints.
It would be a nice bonus if anything like that happened, but it’s not like I’m going there thinking ‘oh yeah, I want get the white jersey,’ or whatever.
VN: You were named on the recently leaked “Index of Suspicion”, drawn up by the International Cycling Union (UCI) before last year’s Tour, as a six out of ten in terms of likelihood of doping. You were pretty angry about this; were you angry about being scored a six, or angry about the list itself, or angry about the leak?
GT: I just think, the whole thing really… When I first saw it I just laughed, but if somebody’s just sat at home on a computer and reads a few lines of that article and then sees that I’m down as a six, or whatever, and they doubt me after that.
Even if it’s one, in a million who read it, it’s bad, you know; and it doesn’t do my reputation any good.
I grew up in British Cycling, and just the way my Mum and Dad brought me up and things, there’s not a chance that anything like that would even cross my mind. It’s just sad that… I’m not too sure of the reasons why I was classed as that, but it’s just annoying that it got leaked and it was in the paper and whatever.
It wasn’t like I was tested any more than usual, and seeing some of the names beneath me was a bit like ‘wow, how the hell did they make up this list?’
But at the same time, there’s nothing we could do about it, so we’ve just got to get on with it. Obviously, the doctors in the team looked into it and there’s nothing to be worried about.
It’s just the fact that my name was tarnished really, which is never a nice thing.
VN: There were apparently a number of factors that went into drawing up the list, and one of those was unexpectedly good performances. In 2009 you were a developing rider with (Professional Continental team) Barloworld, and then in 2010 you’re with (ProTour) Team Sky.
You were part of the team that won the team time trial in the Tour of Qatar, then you had a solid Classics season, a strong Dauphiné, and then won the Nationals; do you think that the fact that you’d started scoring serious ranking points was what gave you such a high score?
GT: Yeah, exactly, and if that’s the case then it’s a compliment really! The fact that they think that I’m going well…
The only thing I was annoyed about was the fact that people may be unsure about me now, which is frustrating that they could get that leaked. They can make the lists and whatever; I’ve got no problem with that; they can come and test me whenever they want. I’m not bothered at all.
But the fact that it just went out was amazing really, and I haven’t even been tested more than usual anyway.
VN: So even though you were scored a six out of ten, and therefore ranked as a relatively suspicious rider, you didn’t actually get any additional tests? So the UCI wasn’t even targeting the riders that it identified?
GT: No, it was only because I had the [white] jersey those days that I got tested anyway. If they are going to make a list, then at least get out there and test us, you know.
VN: Changing the subject, you’re organising a trip to the roads of Flanders in mid-August that will give members of the public, your fans, the chance to ride with you over the cobbles and hills for a weekend. What made you decide to do that?
GT: Thomson Sport approached my manager with the idea of it, and I thought it was a really good idea. Just because, for myself personally, it would be good to ride the roads again anyway, and learn the routes, because it helps so much when you know what’s after the bergs and things. Because in Waregem [Dwars door Vlaanderen – ed] I punctured and ended up going full, flat out, up I think it was the Leberg – or somewhere anyway – and it ended up being 10-K of flat smooth tarmac afterwards, and I didn’t really have to go flat out from the bottom to make it back up.
I think just knowing the roads is a massive help, so for me personally it would be great to do it from that respect.
Obviously, for people in the UK don’t usually get the chance to go and ride round there, so I thought it would be good for them to come; riding round with me, and chat to them, I just think it would be a nice little weekend and it would be something a bit different as well.
VN: You’re also doing a similar ‘training camp’ at the end of the season, it must be nice to be able to get together with the fans like that.
GT: Yeah, that’s back in Wales as well, at Bluestone. I don’t know if you’ve seen the [accommodation], but it’s a really nice five-star place, a bit like Centre Parcs. So that will just be a nice weekend to go and ride with the public really and just give a bit back.
Because when I was growing up with the club, we went to watch Amstel a few times and it was just a massive buzz; we rode to the start behind T-Mobile, and sat on Erik Zabel’s wheel; it was just crazy, and I think it’s nice to give that back.
More details about Geraint Thomas’ Flanders weekend, and the end of season camp at Bluestone, Wales, can be found on his website: www.geraintthomas.com
—
To return to part one of the interview, where he discussed the ongoing Critérium du Dauphiné and his upcoming defence of the British champion’s jersey, click here.