Geraint Thomas has headed back to Los Angeles hoping to this year write another successful sequel to his astonishing 2018.
The Team Sky rider is on a training camp in California – just like he did 12 months ago before riding into the record books as only the third Brit and first Welshman to win the Tour de France.
Thomas is still finalising his race schedule in the build-up to his defence of his Tour title in July but it is set to includes stage races in Spain and Italy and several famous one-day races including Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
“I’m starting the year in LA again – it worked pretty well last year and I enjoyed my time there,” said Thomas, who is set to return from LA late this month to begin his race programme.
“I think I’ll start in Valencia, then Tirreno – I love that race, and I’ve had a bit of bad luck the last two years so maybe third time lucky – and I think maybe the Tour de Suisse before the Tour.
“I’ve been second there before, by five seconds, so I’d love to go back to try and win that.
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“I really enjoyed Liege when I rode it for the first time last year so I’d like to go back. I’ll maybe do all three of the Ardennes races – it’s still a bit up in the air.
“I’d like a slightly different approach to that week, maybe end up doing the Tour of the Basque Country, just mix it up a bit really, and I’m looking forward to doing some big races.
“I definitely want to go back to Liege and will maybe do Amstel and Flèche as well. We’ll see.”
As the reigning champ, Thomas attended the launch of the 2019 Tour de France route in Paris but admits he is still to look at the finer details of the three-week race.
Thomas will be up against four-tine champ and Sky team-mate Chris Froome who has opted not to defend his Giro d’Italia crown to focus on Le Tour and claiming a place in the record books.
“I know the general structure of it but I don’t know it in a massive amount of detail… but it’s always hard! There are always some high mountains and this year altitude will certainly play a factor in it,” added the 32-year-old.
“I like the look of it and I’m motivated for it. I think I’ll take the same attitude as always really: I’ll try to be there in the best shape and whatever happens, happens.”
Thomas, who was recently awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours, is then planning a bid to win the time trial at the World Championships in Yorkshire in September.
Cardiff-born Thomas added: “The Worlds in Yorkshire will be massive.
“I think the time trial will be my best chance of getting something out of it. It will be a good goal to have for the end of the year.
“I certainly want to be there because the support in the UK and in Yorkshire especially is just unbelievable at the moment. They’re going to be a massive Worlds and it will be great to be a part of that.”
“After the Tour the time trial at the Worlds will be a nice target to have. I’m not too sure on how to get there in the best shape, but I’ll be looking at a decent programme up to that as well.”