Romain Gregoire etched his name into cycling history on September 7, 2025, clinching the overall victory at the Tour of Britain after a week of drama, grit, and emotional farewells. The 22-year-old Frenchman, riding for Groupama-FDJ, held off a determined field—including Olympic road race champion Remco Evenepoel and two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe—to secure his second career stage race triumph. But as Gregoire celebrated, the cycling world turned its collective gaze to Cardiff, where Welsh legend Geraint Thomas drew the curtain on a remarkable 19-year professional career in an emotional homecoming.
The final stage, a 112.2-kilometre dash from Newport to Cardiff, was anything but a ceremonial parade. Rain lashed the riders at the start, but the skies seemed to pause in tribute as Thomas, now 39, crossed the finish line for the last time. The route itself was a love letter to Thomas’s roots: it began at the velodrome bearing his name in Newport, swept past his childhood club Maindy Flyers, passed his parents’ house, and finished in the shadow of Cardiff Castle. Thousands of fans, including Wales’ First Minister Eluned Morgan, lined the streets, many donning one of the 11,000 masks of Thomas’s face handed out by Beicio Cymru. The roar of the crowd and the chorus of cheers made it clear—this was more than a race; it was a celebration of a national hero.
On the road, the action was relentless from the start. The day’s breakaway, featuring Julius Johansen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Bastien Tronchon (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale), Mats Wenzel (Kern Pharma), and Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious), animated the early kilometres. The quartet was allowed a gap of just over two minutes, but with the general classification hanging by a thread, the peloton—led by Groupama-FDJ, Tudor Pro Cycling, and Visma-Lease a Bike—kept them on a tight leash.
As the race approached the decisive Caerphilly Mountain climb just outside the final 10 kilometres, the breakaway’s lead began to dwindle. The gradient bit hard, and the peloton, sensing opportunity, surged forward. Even Remco Evenepoel, who started the day just two seconds behind Gregoire, was seen pushing the pace, determined to snatch the overall lead. But the breakaway held firm, and it wasn’t until the final 50 metres that the peloton made the catch, setting the stage for a thrilling sprint finish.
Olav Kooij of the Netherlands (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) proved the fastest, outkicking British hopefuls Sam Watson (INEOS Grenadiers) and Fred Wright to claim the stage victory in 2 hours, 28 minutes, and 19 seconds. Gregoire, finishing 13th on the day, did exactly what he needed—cross the line close enough to Evenepoel, who finished 24th, to preserve his slender two-second advantage in the general classification.
“It’s crazy, I’m really happy with this win, it’s incredible to win a general classification in a race like this, it’s something great in my career, and to win ahead of Julian and Remco makes it even bigger, so I’m just happy,” Gregoire said after donning the green jersey. He admitted to nerves at the start: “It was really close this morning, to be honest, I was nervous because I knew I could win, but I could also be 10th tonight. It was really close, but I felt good. I had good legs on the climb, and after, I managed to have a sprint finish to get the bonus for the sprinter, and everything went really well.”
The final general classification saw Gregoire atop the standings with a total time of 19 hours, 31 minutes, and 23 seconds. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) finished second, just two seconds adrift, while Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) rounded out the podium, four seconds behind the winner. Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) was the best-placed Briton, finishing a commendable fourth overall.
For Thomas, the day was less about results and more about reflection. He finished 62nd on the stage, four minutes behind the winner, but the numbers scarcely mattered. The emotional weight of the occasion was evident in every pedal stroke and every word. “Thank you, that’s all I can say. Diolch,” Thomas managed on stage, visibly moved by the sea of supporters. Earlier, he reflected on the surreal nature of his final race: “We watched a little montage on the bus now, and I felt myself already starting to choke up a bit. Macs [his son] and Sara, my wife, met us on the way in, so they were there. It was nice, but it’s just so surreal. I think, like most stages this week, I’ve kind of forgotten that I have to do a bike race because it’s almost like a celebration before the start, and then you get going, you’re like, oh jeez, I’ve actually got that racing to do now. It’s definitely gonna be emotional.”
Tributes poured in from across the cycling world and beyond. Thomas’s palmarès is the stuff of legend: 2018 Tour de France champion, two Olympic gold medals, Commonwealth Games gold, podiums at the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, victories at the Tours de Suisse and Romandie, Critérium du Dauphiné, Paris-Nice, and national championships. As the rain paused for his finish, it seemed even the Welsh weather was paying homage.
What’s next for the Cardiff native? Thomas hinted at a continued association with Ineos Grenadiers, possibly in a mentoring or behind-the-scenes role, though nothing is set in stone. “I’ve got a lot of knowledge as a rider, and I feel I can help the boys a lot, but there’s a lot of other stuff behind the scenes. That’s on the cards. It’s not definitely happening yet, but I’d love to continue with the team,” he explained. He also expressed excitement about newfound freedom to try other sports and enjoy life without the relentless pressure of elite competition: “I’ll definitely still ride, I still enjoy riding my bike, I just won’t be pressing lap and doing efforts and that stuff. I’m just going to enjoy it without the pressure and the thought of losing weight in the back of my mind.”
As the sun set on Cardiff and the celebrations spilled into the night, Gregoire’s victory and Thomas’s farewell marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in British cycling. The Tour of Britain delivered high drama, heartfelt goodbyes, and a fitting tribute to a true sporting icon. For Gregoire, it’s a launchpad to greater ambitions; for Thomas, a well-earned lap of honour and a legacy that will inspire for generations.
