A biography for Geraint Thomashasn’t been written yet.
“I have come to see what the Tour is about, and it has been harder than I imagined. You don't realise what it is like until you actually compete.”
“I never thought I would grow up writing a book.”
“I don't mind it when people come up to me and say, 'Well done.' That's lovely. The bit that's weird is stuff like... I've had a load of eBay people hounding me. Just sort of getting you to sign stuff which they can then sell.”
“I like riding for five or six hours, then sitting on the sofa staring at the TV. It's my normal.”
“I've won the Tour. But no, I don't feel I'm a celebrity.”
“It's hard to put into words, really, how proud I am and great it is to represent Wales because, in cycling, it's a little-known country, so it's nice to put it on the map.”
“I want to do marathons; I want to do an Ironman.”
“Just dream big. Go for it. There's nothing holding you back. You can have ups and downs, but if you believe in something, keep the faith; keep fighting. And don't let people put you down.”
“I used to run home from school to watch Paris-Nice, so to win it is just crazy.”
“You will have ups and downs - but believe anything is possible. With hard work, it can come off.”
“My wife, she puts up with a lot: we're training hard, you're tired, you're not eating a lot, so you get a bit grumpy, so she does put up with a lot - fair play.”
“You get into such a routine of trying so hard each day and racing between 180 and 220 km., and as soon as you stop, it's weird, but you start to seize up. So it's easier if you keep the body ticking over. You just feel better for it come race day.”
“Life's not fair, I guess.”
“Everyone in the world of cycling knows how much it is a team sport as well as individual. It's just amazing to be a part of.”
“In Britain, we have this attitude that people are one-hit wonders. If it proves that way, I'd rather have had that one hit than not at all.”
“When you're eating salad and quinoa while training, all you want is a burger. In the cycling season, when I'm doing 30-odd hours of exercise a week, I'm dreaming of burgers and curries that I'll have at the end of the season.”
“I get moody when I'm tired or hungry. My missus says I get moody... but not with other people. But I can get grumpy.”
“I rode for Maindy Flyers, a local kids' club from Cardiff. We started travelling across the country doing races, but Manchester was the first stage race I did.”
“I regret not paying a bit more attention to Welsh lessons at school. My Welsh is pretty ropey, as back at my school, people didn't take Welsh lessons seriously. My dad can speak it, so I wish he'd taught me some growing up.”
“I was fortunate to be born when I was. There's been a massive rise in British cycling since I joined the junior programme when I was 17. It all started in 2004 when Chris Hoy won gold for the 1 km. time trial in Athens; when one person starts doing well, they take everyone with them.”