Harry Corish - Sportin Journalist

Anyone in any doubts about the status of Geraint Thomas as one of the most popular Welsh sports stars of all time, need only to have glanced at social media over the weekend.

There was a lot of love for G.

Love for his talent, love for his pride in representing his country on the international stage, and love for his sportsmanship, loyalty, humour and general all-round decency even during his greatest disappointments.

Former Tour de France winner Thomas finished runner-up at the Giro d’Italia, having had the lead snatched cruelly away from him in the penultimate stage by rival Primoz Roglic.

That was on the Saturday afternoon. By Saturday evening, he was paying generous tributes to Roglic in endless interviews, thanking his own Ineos Grenadiers teammates for their efforts, paying tribute to the dozens of Welsh fans who waved flags and lined the Italian mountain roads, and generally acting like a 37-year-old husband and father with a deep and healthy sense of perspective.

By Sunday – a day he had hoped to win the tour in Rome – the former Maindy Flyer cyclist was chatting with Roglic as the two rode side-by-side towards the Italian capital.

Thomas then did something no-one had expected, not even himself. Finding his old Team Sky and GB teammate Mark Cavendish in need of support, he hit the front of the race and enabled Cavendish to win the sprint to the line to claim a stage victory in his final season before retirement.

“I was just there and I saw they only had Luis León [Sanchez] with him and I thought ‘help a brother out’,” said Thomas.

He will be out of contract with Ineos Grenadiers at the end of the year but has indicated he wants to continue for a minimum of two more seasons.

“I’m still competitive, I still love racing and I enjoy the argy-bargy of a sprint sometimes. I’ll just keep doing it as long as I love it.

“I’ll try and sort out the future in the next couple of weeks. I’m not going to do more than two (years) I don’t think but saying that, I said I wouldn’t go on after this year.”

While Thomas has vowed to bounce back from defeat, so, too, have Glamorgan’s cricketers who lost their Vitality T20 Blast match to Somerset at the weekend.

A four-wicket defeat has left Glamorgan with a one win and one loss record from their opening two games.

“We’ve got to be smarter through that latter middle phase of our innings and accelerate with as little risk as possible which is the jeopardy of T20 cricket,” said head coach Mark Alleyne.

Glamorgan were also paying tribute at the weekend to their former bowler Lawrence Williams, who died at the age of 76.

Williams was a member of the legendary 1969 Glamorgan team that won the County Championship.

Darts

It was yet another great week for Wales’ two standout performers as they secured their spots in the top four of the PDC Premier League.

Jonny Clayton knew he had to beat Nathan Aspinall to maintain his 100% record and qualify for the Premier League Play-Offs, and he did just that with the help of his mate Gerwyn Price, despite suffering a defeat against ‘The Asp’.

In the semi-final, Price triumphed over Aspinall with a 6-3 victory, ensuring he finished the group stages at the top of the table and also assisted his Welsh teammate Jonny Clayton in securing fourth place.

The Ice Man then had the opportunity to make history by becoming the first player to achieve five nightly wins but was defeated by Belgium’s Dancing Dimitri Van den Bergh, who emerged victorious in their final leg shootout at Aberdeen’s showpiece final.

Squash

Four-time World Champion and the eventual winner, Ali Farag, ended Joel Makin’s defence of his Manchester Open title at the semi-final stage.

Defending champion Makin faced a formidable opponent in Egypt’s Farag, and despite a valiant effort, he was unable to overcome the World number four across the four sets.

Makin had earlier defeated Aly Abou Eleinen 3-0 in the second round, winning 11-3, 11-2, 11-9 in just 47 minutes, before holding off Fares Dessouky 3-2 in a mammoth 81-minute tie in the quarterfinal.

Tesni Evans and Emily Whitlock also showed promise but fell short in the quarterfinal stage. Evans suffered a 3-1 defeat against Satomi Watanabe, while Whitlock was defeated 3-0 by Gina Kennedy.

Cycling

It was a challenging weekend for Geraint Thomas, as the adverse weather conditions played havoc with the Giro d’Italia.

Despite a valiant effort in the gruelling 13th stage, where he held onto the coveted maglia rosa, Thomas unfortunately lost the leader’s pink jersey during the treacherous 14th stage.

Stage 13 saw Einer Rubio emerge victorious, taking the victory amidst rain-interrupted proceedings that resulted in a shortened race.

However, Geraint Thomas, managed to retain the overall lead, holding the maglia rosa ahead of formidable contenders Primoz Roglic and Joao Almeida.

However, the 14th stage brought a change in fortune for Thomas. Crossing the finish line with the peloton, Thomas found himself 21 minutes behind the breakaway.

As a result, France’s Bruno Armirail claimed the lead position. Although Armirail is not expected to pose a significant threat for overall victory, the decision to conserve energy was made by Thomas and the peloton.

Given the circumstances, teams have understandably adopted a more cautious approach, waiting for improved weather conditions before pushing the boundaries of their performance.

As the Giro d’Italia progresses, the weather will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the race.

Boxing

Welsh boxing achieved a resounding triumph at the Boxam Tournament in Benidorm over the weekend. Owain Harris-Allen and Zoe Andrews secured two gold medals each, while Orlando Holley-Sotomi and Scott Richards added two more medals to the tally.

The success story continued for Welsh boxing, with Wales’ junior boxer’s also picking up four medals in Spain.

Zoe emerged victorious in the women’s 54kg division, triumphing over Spain’s Luna Maria Mairene Aragon with a 4-1 split decision.

Meanwhile, Owain, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, secured gold in the elite men’s 57kg category, defeating England’s Trowbridge Ellis with the same result.

Orlando Holley-Sotomi, representing Wales, put on a commendable performance in the men’s 71kg class, earning a well-deserved silver medal despite losing to Spain’s Frank Martinez in the final. Additionally, Scott Richards showcased his skills and claimed a bronze medal in the men’s 51kg category, further bolstering Wales’ overall achievements.

Wales’ junior boxers also secured four gold medals in their maiden international outings. In the 48kg Junior division, Troy Hayer represented Wales against Romania’s Nicolas Boncu in a riveting clash. It was Hayer who claimed a hard-fought split decision win (3:2). Meanwhile, Henry Janes defeated Romania’s Marian Petrache in the 57kg category via a unanimous decision.

In the 60kg weight class, Alfie Lewis also picked up a well-earned unanimous decision victory over Estonia’s Nikita Korsunov. Kai Powell, another Welsh boxer, stepped into the ring in the 63kg division against Spain’s Alexndru Montoya Calero.

The judges awarded Powell a well-earned victory through a unanimous decision, further solidifying Kai’s reputation as a promising talent in Welsh boxing.

Squash

The Manchester Open Silver event is set to ignite the squash world as the PSA World Tour returns to England this week. From May 17th to 21st, the National Squash Centre will host an intense battle, featuring 48 talented men and women vying for the prestigious titles on two mesmerizing glass courts.

Meanwhile, Wales’ own Joel Makin, the defending champion of the Manchester Open, will be back to defend his title and showcase his exceptional skills.

However, he will face tough opposition from the likes of the recent World Championship finalists, Ali Farag and Karim Abdel Gawad.

On the women’s side, Wales will be well-represented by the talented duo of Tesni Evans and Emily Whitlock, ready to face fierce competition and make their mark in the tournament.

Cycling

In the Giro d’Italia, Welshman Geraint Thomas continues to command the race, defying adversity and maintaining his position at the top.

Despite a crash that resulted in fellow Briton Tao Geoghegan Hart sustaining severe injuries during stage 11, Thomas emerged unscathed and resolute.

Wet conditions on a treacherous downhill descent added to the challenge of the race’s longest leg, but Thomas remained undeterred in his quest for victory.

The withdrawal of Remco Evenepoel further elevates Thomas and Roglic as the primary contenders for the Giro title, separated by a mere two seconds.

With Joao Almeida at 22 seconds and Andreas Leknessund at 35, the competition remains fierce.

However, Thomas must navigate the upcoming stages from Borgofranco d’Ivrea to Crans Montana, Sierre to Cassano Magnago, and Seregno to Bergamo to maintain his grasp on the coveted Pink jersey throughout the weekend.

Boxing

Wales head to Benidorm with a strong squad, ready to make waves at the highly anticipated BOXAM International Tournament. The team boasts an impressive line-up of talented boxers, including the likes of Troy Hayer and Zoe Andrews from Briton Ferry Boxing Club.

Henry Janes representing Torfaen Warriors Amateur Boxing Club, Alfie Lewis hailing from Llandudno Amateur Boxing Club, and Kai Powell proudly representing Pontypool Boxing Club.

Joining them are Corey Jones from Maelor ABC, Mikey O’Sullivan representing Cardigan Amateur Boxing Club Clwb Bocsio Amatur Aberteifi.

Axel Hegarty and Orlando Holley Sotomi from St Joseph’s ABC Newport, Milwyn Lloyd representing Llay ABC, Scott Richards standing tall for Pontypridd Boxing Club, and Owain Harris-Allan representing Apollos ABC will all feature as they represent their country in Spain.