News – Love of cycling on S4C

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Seiclo – Le Tour de France brings viewers the best of the action from the Tour de France (S4C)

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News – Love of cycling on S4C

NOTE: Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

Seiclo: Le Tour de France brings us the best of the action from the race which is celebrating its 101st birthday this year. And one member of the commentary team has a particular interest in the progress of the cyclists.

Sara Elen Thomas, 23, is the fiancée of well-known cyclist, Geraint Thomas, a member of the Sky cycling team. “We met after the Beijing Olympics, and started going out in 2009, just before I went to university in Liverpool,” says Sara, who like Geraint, comes from Cardiff. Sara graduated with a physiology degree two years ago.

Geraint Thomas and Sara Elen Thomas

In 2012 Geraint was a member of the Men’s Team Pursuit which bagged a gold medal in the London Olympic Games, adding to the gold he won in Beijing in 2008. Last year he was a key player in the Sky team that won Le Tour de France, realising the potential he’d shown in 2010 and 2011 when he wore the Tour’s white jersey, which is given to the best cyclist under 23 years of age at the end of each stage.

“When I first met Geraint on a night out in Cardiff I had no idea he was a well-known cyclist. I didn’t even know you could cycle for a living!” says Sara, who now spends most of her time with Geraint in Monaco where he lives and trains.

But six years hence, the love that blossomed over a few Cardiff cocktails continues and Sara has certainly learnt a thing or two about cycling. S4C viewers will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse of what life is like for Geraint and the other cyclists during this year’s race as Sara mingles with them and reports back on Seiclo: Le Tour de France.

Last year Geraint had an accident in the first stage of the Tour but despite a broken pelvis he got back on his bike and cycled to the finish line, playing a crucial part in the success of his teammate and Le Tour de France Yellow Jersey winner, Chris Froome. Last month Geraint won a big race in Germany, and he’s recognised as one of the stars of the peloton.

“There’s no doubt Geraint is the most determined person I’ve ever met,” says Sara. “Although he does his best to hide it, it’s obvious to everyone that he’s incredibly ambitious. I’m always nervous when I watch him racing, especially when they come downhill because they’re doing around 70km an hour. But I’m a lot better than I was. I enjoy watching them race and it’s very exciting, especially when you know they’ve got a chance of winning.

“I hope I’ll be able to show the viewers at home what it’s like for the cyclists, and I’ll definitely be ready to chat to anyone who’s willing to talk to me as the race progresses.”

Seiclo: Le Tour de France

Saturday 5 July – Sunday 27 July

Live in the afternoons on race days

Highlights race-day evenings at 10.00, S4C

Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

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