Geraint Thomas is poised to win the Giro d'Italia, with the Welshman retaining his 29-second buffer over Primož Roglič after stage 18. On Thursday, Thomas cut his cloth smartly, bridging across to João Almeida's acceleration and combining with the Portuguese rider to put half a minute into Roglič.

What happened on stage 18?

Thomas didn't yield an inch when Roglič forced the pace on the penultimate ascent of Coi, tracking the Slovenian all the way to the finish and picking up 21 seconds on Almeida in the process.

How has Geraint Thomas performed so far?

The maglia rosa has used his energy sparingly throughout, responding to attacks rather than making them, and has scarcely put a pedal stroke askew since the race left Abruzzo.

What's next for Geraint Thomas?

With two days from the end of the ultimate elimination race, Thomas remains on course to carry the maglia rosa to Rome, and his consistent performance has made it calmly towards the final weekend by largely avoiding any alarms and surprises.

Thomas has made a name for himself in Grand Tour racing, with a record that illustrates the importance of staying on your bike, and after placing 15th at the 2015 and 2016 Tours de France, he was finally handed the freedom to chase three-week glory of his own from 2017 onwards.

Why is this performance significant for Geraint Thomas?

This Giro d'Italia performance is an outlier, as Thomas is on the cusp of becoming the oldest Giro winner in history, turning 37 on Thursday, and his display here is entirely in keeping with the logic of his career and his even-handed nature.

The latest challenge to Thomas' lead came from Roglič, who delivered a show of force at Fossombrone, but Thomas absorbed the blow, and Almeida had his moment at Monte Bondone, but Thomas didn't miss a beat.

On Monte Bondone, it was Roglič who faltered, and Thomas cut his cloth smartly, bridging across to Almeida's acceleration just as the gradient relented, and then combining with the Portuguese rider to put half a minute into Roglič.

After the opening time trial to Ortona, Remco Evenepoel looked to be on another level to the rest, but his challenge was cut short by COVID-19 on the first rest day, and Thomas' teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart looked to have the condition to win this race, but he would be forced out with a broken hip three days later.

But then, as Thomas knows better than anyone else, staying on your bike is a fundamental part of Grand Tour racing, and a glance at his record illustrates as much, with four Grand Tours either ended or compromised by crashes, and clear runs at the Tours of 2018, 2019, and 2022, finishing on the podium each time.

The Welshman has used his experience to his advantage, and his ability to respond to attacks has been key to his success, and with the final weekend approaching, Thomas is well-placed to win the Giro d'Italia, and his consistent performance has made him a strong contender for the title.

Thomas said when he arrived in the mixed zone afterwards, 'It was good to gain some time on Almeida and not get dropped by Primož,' and his words reflect his focus on the task at hand, and his determination to win the Giro d'Italia.

The Giro d'Italia has been an attritional race, with many challenges and surprises, but Thomas has made it calmly towards the final weekend by largely avoiding any alarms and surprises, and his consistent performance has carried him towards victory,

The final weekend of the Giro d'Italia will be crucial, with Thomas facing stiff competition from Roglič and Almeida, but the Welshman is well-placed to win the title, and his experience and ability to respond to attacks will be key to his success,

Thomas' performance has been impressive, and he has shown his ability to withstand the challenges of the Giro d'Italia, and with the final weekend approaching, he is poised to win the title, and his consistent performance has made him a strong contender,

The Giro d'Italia has been a challenging race, with many twists and turns, but Thomas has remained focused, and his determination to win the title has been evident throughout, and with the final weekend approaching, he is well-placed to achieve his goal