So concentrated was Geraint Thomas on his fight for the yellow jersey that when he arrived atop Alpe d’Huez on Thursday he momentarily forgot teammate Tom Pidcock had – only minutes earlier – won stage 12 of the Tour de France.
Commercial theme music and the lively tones of a French commentator played from speakers near the podium, behind which Pidcock was hurriedly ushered behind on his bike after crossing the finish line.
Just beyond that was a guard of Gendarmes who formed a human fence, keeping team staff and media dressed in white polyester bibs to one side of the road, and creating a space for riders on the other as they came through in dribs and drabs, looking for their soigneurs.
Chris Froome was part of the main breakaway, from which Tour debutant Pidcock attacked from to celebrate a solo victory, while Froome finished third behind runner-up Louis Meintjes.
The older Briton rode into the sea of white jerseys and soigneurs with a pained expression, seemingly searching for the roadside barricade to pull up against.
Third was Froome’s best result since a career-threatening injury in 2019. Trying to catch his breath, he coughed repeatedly before opening a bottle of water and cracking a smile.
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“His mountain biking came in handy today,” Froome said of Pidcock. “There were a few points where I backed off because he was pushing the limits.”
As a scrum encased Froome, his former teammate Thomas came into view, resting on his bike stem, drenched wet from sweat and perhaps what appeared to be the remnants of an icepack peeping out the back of his jersey, near the base of his neck.
Three minutes and 23 seconds behind Pidcock, he had sprinted to the line against race leader Jonas Vingegaard and defending champion Tadej Pogačar.
Whippersnappers, Thomas called his younger rivals.
“I actually felt like I had the speed in that sprint, but, well, Vingegaard came, it was either brake or crash, so I braked,” Thomas said.
The 36-year-old had ridden at his own pace within the final 3km, anticipating that Vingegaard and Pogačar would toy with each other, which they did. Every time Pogačar attacked, Vingegaard would follow.
And each time, in his own time, Thomas bridged back.
“I guess it’s that old diesel engine I’ve got,” the 2018 Tour champion quipped.
“I’ll still try to win but it’s obviously a tough ask,…