Geraint Thomas will play a waiting game with team-mate Chris Froome as the pair resume the Tour de France with a potentially epic ride up Alpe d’Huez laying ahead.
Welshman Thomas stormed to a magnificent stage victory on Wednesday and grabbed the yellow jersey in a thrilling Stage 11.
On the day Thomas’s old Whitchurch High School pal Sam Warburton announced his retirement from rugby – leading to a message of congratulations from another school buddy, Gareth Bale – the Cardiff rider took the first summit finish of the race.
The end result was the same as most recent Tours — domination from Team Sky as four-time champion Froome moved up to second overall after Sky controlled numerous attacks.
Thomas attacked on the last of four gruelling climbs, powered past long-time breakaway leader Mikel Nieve in the final kilometre, and finished 20 seconds ahead of Tom Dumoulin.
Froome crossed third, just behind Dumoulin, who moved up to third overall, 1:44 behind.
The major question now concerns the dynamics between Thomas and Froome within Sky. Thomas has been one of Froome’s most loyal lieutenants for years but Sky labelled him a co-leader with Froome entering this year’s Tour and Wales’ greatest cyclist looks in better shape than ever to challenge the old order.
“Obviously, Froomey is the leader,” Thomas said. “He has won six Grand Tours. For me it’s an unknown.
“Froomey knows how to win a three-week race. For me, whatever happens now it is a super successful Tour. Froomey still has our best chance now — there’s still more than half the race to go.
“It is an ideal scenario at the moment.”
When asked if he would wait and help a struggling Froome ahead of Thursday’s stage, Thomas said: “I don’t know. We’d have to just see.
“If I was feeling good, then I’d just stay were I was.”
He added: “It’s still a long way to go and if Froomey sees the chance to gain time, I’m happy for him to do that.
“I don’t want him to slow down just because I might be struggling and vice versa, he wouldn’t want me to slow down for him.
“It’s all about communicating, seeing how the legs are and being honest with each other.
“We’re only enough and wise enough to know what to do. As long as we’re not racing against each other, that’s the main thing.
“If Froomey’s got 10 seconds and I’m dragging Tom Dumoulin [Team Sunweb rider in third] back up to him, I’m not going to do stuff like that, just race smartly I guess.
“The main thing is having good pace. We’ve got a good plan for today. We’re communicating well.
“We’ve known each other a long time and we’ve both got that respect for each other. If I’m struggling, I’m not going to expect him to wait for him. There’s still half the race to go.”
Froome is attempting to match the record of five Tour victories shared by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
So will Thomas, wearing the yellow jersey, sacrifice himself for Froome on Thursday’s climb up legendary Alpe d’Huez?
“It depends on the situation and what is going on in the race. If I have to pull towards the end, then I will,” Thomas said. “We will see.”
The top five in the overall classification is rounded out by 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali in fourth, 2:14 behind Thomas, and Primoz Roglic in fifth, 2:23 back.
Dumoulin, the time trial world champion, is Sky’s closest challenger.
Stage 11 result
- Geraint Thomas (Gbr/Team Sky) 3hrs 29mins 36secs
- Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Sunweb) +20secs
- Chris Froome (Gbr/Team Sky) same time
- Damiano Caruso (Ita/BMC) +22secs
- Mikel Nieve (Spa/Mitchelton-Scott) same time
- Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Emirates) +27secs
- Jesús Herrada (Spa/Cofidis) +57secs
- Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +59secs
- Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Bahrain-Merida) same time
- Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar)
General classification after stage 11
- Geraint Thomas (Gbr/Team Sky) 44hrs 6mins 16 secs
- Chris Froome (Gbr/Team Sky) +1min 25secs
- Tom Dumoulin (Ned/Team Sunweb) +1min 44secs
- Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Bahrain-Merida) +2mins 14secs
- Primož Roglic (Slo/LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 23secs
- Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/LottoNL-Jumbo) +2mins 40secs
- Mikel Landa (Spa/Movistar) +2mins 56secs
- Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +2min 58secs
- Nairo Quintana (Col/Movistar) +3mins 16secs
- Daniel Martin (Ire/UAE Emirates) same time