Ill Geraint Thomas battling to remain in Tour de France

Geraint Thomas’s continued participation in the 2024 Tour de France is in doubt, with the Welshman revealing that he has mild symptoms of Covid.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider finished 31 minutes behind stage 14 winner Tadej Pogačar on Pla d'Adet, just hours after his teammate Tom Pidcock was sent home from the race for also displaying symptoms of Covid.

Thomas, who won the yellow jersey in 2018, told ITV Sport at the start of the day that "I'm also not great. I've not tested positive [for Covid], just got mild symptoms.

"The doctor is monitoring me closely and they have their protocol when it comes to respiratory infections. At the moment I've got a bit of a headache and a runny nose and we'll see how it goes.

"In any other walk of life I'd be absolutely fine but trying to race the Tour is slightly different."

Covid exists in the Tour peloton, with UAE Team Emirates's Juan Ayuso leaving the race midway on stage 13 after contracting the pandemic virus. Several teams have now introduced precautionary measures, including the use of masks.

Zak Dempster, Ineos's lead sports director at the race, said after stage 14 that "unfortunately we're back to the not-new old normal and obviously with G it depends how the situation evolves. If it would progress to the point that he would be in danger then it wouldn't make sense to start. 

"You see in our decision making we are protecting the riders if we feel it's not safe for them to do so, and we'll continue to do that now and into the future."

Dempster had previously said of Pidcock that health came before any sporting interest for the squad.

"He's been a bit under the weather for the last few days," he said. "It's a shame. The rider's health comes first. 

"It's not just any bike race. He was second on a stage, but he still had high hopes of winning stages and being a key player. Heading home today is a real shame and you've got to feel for the guy.

Thomas sits 33rd on GC, but his Ineos teammate Carlos Rodríguez is in fifth. The Spaniard, however, is almost four minutes shy of a podium spot. The British team are yet to win a stage of the race.