Geraint Thomas has revealed he ‘struggled’ to watch Ineos Grenadiers teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart win the Giro d’Italia after crashing out earlier on in the race.

The 34-year-old Welshman, who won the Tour de France in 2018, broke his rib after hitting a stray water bottle in the neutral zone prior to stage three.

Geoghegan Hart, 25, who went to Italy as a support rider for Thomas, took the reins as Ineos’ leader and went on to win his first Grand Tour, taking the pink leader’s jersey from Australian Jai Hindley on the final stage.

And while Thomas is unwavering in his praise for Geoghegan Hart and what Ineos were able to achieve after he crashed out - they won a total of seven stages - he also admits it was hard to watch.

"It was great to see," he told BBC Radio Wales. "He’s a young rider, full of potential. Obviously he was there to help me try to win initially, and obviously I went home and he had an opportunity and come the last week he was suddenly right up there.

To finish it off and deal with that pressure was great for him, great for the team, and great to see.

"Although I did sort of struggle… if I’m being honest I wasn’t tuning in every day to watch it live, but I was keeping track, still messaging the boys. It’s great for them."

Due to the bizarre nature of the cycling season as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Thomas’ Giro exits means his season is over before it has seemingly even got going.

The Cardiff-born racer did not ride the Tour de France and now feels as if he has not earned his winter recovery time.

"Obviously I crashed out of the Giro, which was the big goal of the year, and it almost feels like I don’t deserve an off-season, because I never really got fully into the racing," he added.

"Although mentally I definitely need the break now, just to switch off and chill out a bit."