Thomas, Froome to compete in Tour of Britain

LONDON: Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas and the man whose crown he took in July, Chris Froome, will compete in next month’s Tour of Britain rather than the final Grand Tour of the season, the Vuelta a Espana.

Both riders have rarely graced their home Tour in the past decade, Thomas finishing seventh last year in what was his first appearance since 2011 and Team Sky team-mate Froome last competing in 2009 when he finished 50th for his previous team Barloworld.

Thomas, 32, was only drawn to compete last year because the race finished in his home city of Cardiff and has been lured back for what will be his first major race since the Tour de France as this year’s edition begins in Pembrey Country Park, Carmarthenshire, Wales, on September 2.

The Vuelta gets underway on August 25.Four-time Tour de France champion Froome, who finished third behind Thomas in this year’s Tour, said he had focussed on the Vuelta in the past four years finally winning it in 2017.