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Geraint Thomas feels "massive sense of achievement" after gruelling charity ride

:Headline: Geraint Thomas feels 'massive sense of achievement' after gruelling charity ride: ID:396891: from db_amp
The 2018 Tour de France winner completed three 12-hour stints on his bike and covered the virtual equivalent of more than 400 kilometres a day.

After spending 36 hours on his turbo trainer raising over £340,000 for the NHS this week, Geraint Thomas could be forgiven for spending most of Saturday asleep.

The 2018 Tour de France winner completed three 12-hour stints on his bike, all from his garage in Cardiff, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to mirror the shifts of medical workers fighting coronavirus on the frontline.

Thomas covered the virtual equivalent of more than 400 kilometres a day, and was certainly feeling the effects this weekend.

All racing has been suspended since mid-March, with the UCI announcing this week there would no return before August.

New dates have been given for the Tour de France, now two months later with a start date of August 29, and while nothing is set in stone in these uncertain times, that offers a huge carrot for riders to keep working.

"Some days you can wake up and you are motivated and go do your own ride, train," Thomas said.

Thomas rode over 1,200 kilometres in 36 hours in his garage in Cardiff (Colin Flockton/PA)

"Other days you wake up and are a bit like: 'What am I doing this for?' It's so weird not having that exact (target).

"I started racing when I was 14 so you have always known what day you would be racing and what you are going for. That is the hardest bit by far.

"The diet is also hard when you are sat in the kitchen and the fridge is 10 metres behind you, and you know what is in it."

But there are upsides too, as Thomas enjoys some unexpected time with his wife Sara and six-month old son Macsen.

"I have had the chance to go out for a walk with Macs in the pram and my wife," he said.

"When I am off in October, the weather is not really that great in Cardiff at that time of the year. I don't get to do that too much.

"I get to spend time with him. It has been a lot busier than I thought it would be to be honest. A six-month-old certainly keeps you occupied!"

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