“In Newport today, there is a 97% chance of rain, tapering off towards mid-afternoon” ran the weather report for Sunday’s final stage of the Tour of Britain from Newport to Cardiff. But the crowds were not put off, sheltering under the shallow overhang of the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome of Wales as they waited for a seat to watch the Welshman sign onto his last professional race. In the press room, fans craned their heads through the misty window, “that’s Geraint Thomas!” drifting through the cracked pane, before he took his final loop around the velodrome to the soundtrack of ‘The Vengabus’.
The hubbub continued at the finish line, as crowds of fans donned masks of Thomas’ face, or draped themselves in the Welsh flag, red dragon roaring. “This is not a normal crowd for the Tour of Britain,” I was told at intervals throughout the day.
