Cardiff just witnessed history. Geraint Thomas, one of Britain’s most beloved cycling champions, rode his final professional race at the Tour of Britain 2025. At 39 years old, the 2018 Tour de France winner said goodbye in front of his home crowd, starting from Newport’s velodrome and finishing in Cardiff city centre. Fans lined the streets waving Welsh flags, cheering his every pedal stroke, and celebrating a career filled with Olympic golds, grand tour battles, and unforgettable comebacks.
This was more than a race it was the closing chapter of a remarkable journey. From Tour de France glory in Paris to heartbreak at the Giro d’Italia, Thomas earned respect not just for his victories but for his humility, humour, and loyalty to teammates. As he transitions into mentoring the next generation with Ineos Grenadiers, cycling fans around the world will remember him not only as a champion but as a true sportsman who carried the pride of Wales on his shoulders.
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says G. A fitting sendoff ride into his hometown in front of friends and family in a kit he designed for the occasion. A racer that will be remembered for its character, Cardiff witnessed a remarkable scene this weekend. Crowds gathered, emotions ran high, and one of cycling’s most respected figures marked a moment that will be remembered across the sport. On a cool September afternoon, the tour of Britain’s final stage turned into more than just a race. The streets of Wales became the backdrop for a defining chapter in a career that has spanned nearly two decades at the very top of world cycling. At 39 years old, Garren Thomas rode his last professional race in his home city. It was not a quiet farewell. It was a sendoff filled with cheers, loud applause, and respect from fellow riders. From the start line at Newport’s Gaint Thomas National Veladrome to the finish in Cardiff City Center, fans lined the roads waving flags, holding banners, and calling out his name. Even before the Pelaton rolled forward, the atmosphere was already unique. At the Veladrome that carries his name, riders stood in two lines as a guard of honor. They clapped, they cheered, and they saluted him in a way usually given only to great champions. Thomas, known to teammates and fans simply as G, admitted he was choking up before the race had even begun. “When you’re a kid, you always have a dream of being part of the big things,” Thomas said before the start. like going to the Olympics and grand tours, but the career and the longevity I definitely didn’t expect. That’s definitely not just down to myself, but my family and this team. The stage itself felt like a personal tribute. Riders went past the small cycling club where Thomas first trained as a boy. They passed the neighborhood streets where he grew up. They even rode by his parents’ house. The climb up Carefully Mountain tested the riders, but the fans were not focused on timing. They were focused on Thomas. By the time he reached the center of Cardiff, the roar from the supporters was overwhelming. Yet the tour of Britain was still a race and the fight for the overall title was alive. Belgian rider Remco Evanapole, fresh from a mountain stage win, was chasing Frenchman Roman Gregoire for the leader jersey. But fate changed the chase. On a Morland climb, a herd of cows crossed the road, breaking his rhythm. Later, every move tried to make was carefully followed and blocked by rivals. In the end, Olaf Kuj sprinted to another stage victory while Roman Gregoire held on to take the overall title. But the real focus, the emotion, and the tears all belonged to Thomas. For cycling fans, Thomas was more than just a rider. He was known for being friendly, humble, and always ready to help his teammates. He wasn’t only focused on winning for himself. He was the loyal worker, the trusted friend, and the rider who could take the spotlight and then pass it on to someone else. Still, his career was not without heartbreak. After winning the 2018 tour to France, he nearly repeated the feat in 2019, but finished second to his own teammate Aen Bernal. He joked about it with humor, saying, “Last November, I knew I wasn’t winning two in a row.” In 2023, he led the Jurro Datalia into the final day. The pink jersey seemed within reach until Primo Rogitch passed him on the last climb, beating Thomas by only 14 seconds. “That’s life,” Thomas said afterward. You don’t always get what you deserve. It’s ups and downs, but it’s how you come back from those downs. What made Thomas different was not just how he celebrated wins, but how he accepted losses. After missing the Jirro win in 2023, he didn’t sulk. The very next day, he used his strength to lead out his old friend Mark Caendish in Rome, giving Cavendish the perfect chance to win. That was Thomas, a champion on his own, but always a teammate first. As he crossed the finish line in Cardiff for the last time, Thomas was welcomed by teammates from Inos Grenaders. They wore special jerseys that he had designed himself. His young son Maxon stood at the barriers waiting. Fans waved Welsh flags and shouted his name until his voice cracked as he spoke to the local broadcaster S4C. “It’s emotional,” he said, fighting tears. “It is the pinnacle, isn’t it? Just finishing here. I am struggling to even speak. I knew I would be emotional, but this is special,” he added. I don’t get to race for Wales much, but any country I was in, it felt like I was representing Wales. Anyway, Thomas’ list of achievements is long. He won Olympic gold medals on the track. He earned multiple world titles. And of course, he claimed the Tour to France crown in 2018, the year he stood on the top step in Paris. He had been part of Team Sky from its beginning in 2010, which later became Inos Grenaders. Through those years, he grew into one of Britain’s greatest cyclists alongside names like Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froom, and Mark Cavendish. But beyond the trophies, it was about the way he carried himself. He faced crashes, injuries, and hard moments. Yet, he always came back. What made this farewell even more special was how it connected back to the boy from Cardiff who first fell in love with cycling. Thomas grew up training on roads that weren’t glamorous, but they built his toughness. For Wales, he wasn’t just a cyclist. He was a symbol that someone from Cardiff could take on the world and win. When he wore the yellow jersey in Paris, Welsh flags waved as if the entire nation had won with him. The retirement isn’t the end of Thomas’ cycling story. Already, plans are in motion for him to join the Inos Grenadier management staff ahead of the 2026 season. Under the guidance of Dave Braillesford, he’s expected to mentor younger riders. As a writer, you learn so much. I feel I can help the boys, Thomas explained. But there’s also so much behind the scenes that writers don’t see. I feel like I’ve got a lot to give. But before all that, he’ll enjoy something rare for him. A skiing holiday this winter. For the first time in nearly 20 years, he’ll wake up without thinking about training or the next race. When people talk about Garant Thomas years from now, they’ll mention the yellow jersey in Paris. They’ll remember the Olympic podium. They’ll recall his victories, his losses, and his comebacks. But they’ll also remember his humor, his humility, and his loyalty. He was the star who could win the biggest race in the world, then laugh about having one pint too many in the offseason. He was the friend who could lose a grand tour by seconds and still lead out another rider the next day. Garren Thomas left cycling the same way he entered it, on Welsh roads, cheered on by family, friends, and fans who saw not just a champion, but a neighbor, a friend, and a hero. As he rolled to that final stop, the applause was not just for his wins. It was for his journey. The unthinkable has happened. Garren Thomas has hung up his wheels. But in the hearts of cycling fans in Wales and far beyond, his ride goes