LONDON: Former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas will retire at the end of this season, the 38-year-old Welsh cycling star announced on Monday.

`Thought it was time we made it official. Yes, this will be my last year in the peloton,` the Ineos rider posted on X.

`It`s not been a bad run eh?` added the decorated all-rounder who won Olympic team pursuit golds in 2008 and 2012 and three world titles, also in team pursuit.

But it was his 2018 triumph in cycling`s greatest race, the Tour de France, that he particularly cherishes.

`Beijing was massive, my first Olympics and winning gold there,Thomas told the BBC.

`But the Tour`s what changed my life, being recognised all over the place.

`I was in Alcatraz and some dude recognised me. I think that`s when you know it went up a level.

`The yellow jersey is iconic. You go anywhere in the world and people will know the yellow jersey, how it signifies cycling and its history. So to be a part of that history and to win it, I just pinch myself,` he added.

Thomas, who came third in last year`s Giro d`Italia, will tackle the Tour again this year in a supporting role for his British team, hoping to `maybe try to win a stage but just enjoy the race`.-AFP