Geraint Thomas is unlikely to defend his Commonwealth Games road race title in Australia in 2018 in a blow to Welsh medal hopes.

The Cardiff-born rider says his commitments to Team Sky and the timing of the Games on the Gold Coast in April make it impossible.

And Thomas reckons team-mates Luke Rowe and Owain Doull will also be ruled out of the Welsh team because of their Sky duties.

The 30-year-old won an epic race in Glasgow in 2014 to bag gold for Wales despite a late scare when he had to change a wheel.

But Thomas said: “Unfortunately I think the three of us will be out of it.

“Where they fall in April is the wrong time for us.

“Luke and Owain will still have the cobblestone classics in Belgium, which will be their main target.

“At the end of the day, Team Sky pay us to race bikes for them and we’ve got to do what they say. Especially as it’s in Australia, it’s not like you can fly in and out over a weekend.”

Double Olympic champ Thomas, who also won time trial bronze in Glasgow, added to BBC Wales: “In cycling you hardly get a chance to race for Wales so every chance you do get is amazing and you want to make the most of it.

“To come away with two medals and win the road race was unbelievable, and something I’ll always consider one of my biggest victories.”