Geraint Thomas looks set to sign a new deal that will keep him at Team Sky. The Welshman said in May that he had offers to go elsewhere but he should now remain at Sky where he will focus on short stage races and the Spring Classics.

“It’s pretty close to being finalised and should be wrapped up in the next couple of weeks as we look to get it nailed down before the Tour,” Thomas said of his new contract.

“It was more about hearing out some of the other teams and seeing what they had to offer. It would have been a bit silly not to speak to anyone and just assume that where I was is the best place. But I have no reason to leave and I am happy here.”

Thomas will focus solely on the road from now on and will not return to the track in order to prepare himself for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“I see my future as giving stage racing a good go and see how I fare,” he said.

“If I can get a few podiums and win a few, I can keep progressing then maybe I can look at the Grand Tours. At the moment it is give those week-long stages a bash and see where we can take that. I still want to ride the Classics because it’s something I have loved to do, but there will be a lot of emphasis on the stage races."

“The track is in the past for now. I can’t see me doing it in Rio although I would like to be in the men’s road race. I will never say never and might go back to the track after that. But in the near future it’s not on my mind at all.”

The Tour

Thomas will take part in the Criterium du Dauphine where he will help teammate Chris Froome attempt to defend his title against the likes of Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali. Thomas is using the race to build up to the Tour de France, where he will be on the startline as long as he is not injured before the race begins.

“The Criterium du Dauphine is a big hard race and Froomey is looking to defend his title from last time and put down a marker ahead of the Tour," Thomas explained.

“There are a lot of GC’s who are going to be racing the tour, so it’s a big race and I am looking forward to getting stuck into that. It’s tough because there is a long list of 13 top Team Sky quality riders at the moment all trying to get a place in the team on the Tour de France. All you can doing is keep doing your job and there is no point going out there and racing for yourself.”

As for his Tour ambitions, he had this to say:

“There are no real individual aspirations results wise. I would like to move on from previous years and climb a bit better. I would also like to be there more at the end in the crunch part of the stages. Overall, I would like just to be a solid support for Froomey and get him in the best possible place to win the race. It is going to be a stressful opening few days with the pressure of starting in the UK and all the fans."

Thomas is friendly with both Froome and Bradley Wiggins and remained tight lipped on his opinion on whether Wiggins should take part in the Tour:

“It’s a difficult one and I am glad I am not Sir Dave Brailsford and am just a rider,” said Thomas.

“My main worry is getting myself in the best shape and getting on the start line. The selection of the balance of the team is down to other people. It’s a tricky one for those guys and I am glad I don’t have to make that choice.”