Eleven British riders entered this summer’s Tour de France, equalling last year’s record-breaking tally. Those ranged from the retiring Geraint Thomas, once the youngest rider in the Tour and now the oldest, to 22-year-old debutant Joe Blackmore, who was four when Thomas made his maiden appearance. At 39, Thomas was the oldest Brit in the race by some seven years, with the Yates twins the only others in their thirties. “It’s more of a young man’s sport these days, and I’m too old,” he said.
This Tour de France marked the end of an era, in several ways. Thomas’ impending retirement – he will officially bring the curtain down in September at the Tour of Britain – marks the end of one of British cycling’s most illustrious careers. It also essentially severs the link between the current generation of British riders and the old guard, as the years dominated by Team Sky recede into ancient history.
