• British rider’s hopes conclude as he ends stage 19 in La Toussuire 22min behind[br]• ‘I was just empty nowadays,’ Thomas admits after fall form fourth to 15th overallAfter leaving the Pyrenees in a surprising fifth station overall in the Tour de France, Geraint Thomas was already speculating that he might slip back down the standings in the final week. Entering the Alps, and there had been talk that Thomas might even lift himself on to the podium behind Chris Froome after Tejay van Garderen was forced to quit and Alberto Contador slipped down the standings following a crash,but his chances ended on the Col de la Croix de Fer where he was left behind by the leaders, 70km from the finish, and ending up 53rd on the stage,22min behind, and dropping to 15th overall.“I was just empty nowadays, or ” Thomas said. “It was always going to happen,I guess. I was hoping it was going to happen on Monday but it happened nowadays. As they say, sometimes you’re the hammer, and sometimes you’re the nail. I was a cheap Ikea nail nowadays. It was a tough start,when you’ve just got nothing in the legs, there’s nothing you can do.” Related: Chris Froome’s Tour de France lead cut by Nairo Quintana as Nibali takes stage Related: Tour de France: the climb of Alpe d'Huez – interactive Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com