Geraint Thomas admits his Tour de France rivals will be keeping a closer eye on him after he moved into second place overall on stage six.
The Team Sky rider picked up a couple of bonus seconds for the second time on the Tour at the final intermediate sprint in Saint-Mayeux,
Thomas then came home ninth and in a select bunch just three seconds off Ireland’s Birmingham-born rider Dan Martin who took the honours on the tough finish at Mur de Bretagne.
The Cardiff-born rider is now just three seconds off the lead still being held by Greg van Avermaet of BMC Racing.
Thomas could well find himself in the Yellow Jersey again – he became the first Welshman to wear it last year – on Sunday.
Then the riders tackle the feared cobbles on the road to Roubaix before the first rest day of the race.
Thomas said: “I think everyone will be watching me now. I got away with it twice, I don’t think I could get away with it a third time.
“It was more just going for it because I saw the opportunity.
“Dan was super strong so fair play. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a podium there, as I’d have had enough seconds to get the jersey.”
“In the final I tried to play it a bit too late. I knew it was quite a hard finish so I wanted to try and wait.
“By the time 200 metres was coming the time had gone. (Alejandro) Valverde went so I knew I wasn’t going to beat him for third. So I just stayed where I was and saved that one percent for another day.
“The legs are good. It was a hard day yesterday and today in general was hard and hot – always fighting for position and two thousand-odd altitude metres.”
1. Dan Martin (UAE Emirates) 4:13:43
2. Pierre Latour (Ag2r-La Mondiale) +1″
3. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) +3″
4. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) s.t.
5. Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe)
9. Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
Overall standings:
1. Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) 22:35:46
2. Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) +3″
3. Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing) +5″
4. Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) +6″
5. Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors) +12″