STORYLINE:

Geraint Thomas shared his emotions after being officially crowned the 2018 Tour de France champion on Sunday (29th July), the first Welshman to win the prestigious race on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Geraint Thomas won his first Tour de France title on Sunday, concluding his transformation from a support rider into a champion of cycling's biggest race.

The Welsh rider with Team Sky successfully defended his lead of 1 minute, 51 seconds over second-placed Tom Dumoulin in the mostly ceremonial final stage.

Thomas rode a yellow bike to match his yellow jersey and shared glasses of champagne with his team-mates during the casual ride into Paris before buckling down to keep up with the other leaders on the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees.

Four-time champion Chris Froome, Thomas's team-mate, finished third, two minutes and 24 seconds behind, and rode next to Thomas as they crossed the line, with Froome applauding.

Thomas was a support rider during Froome's four victories but he emerged as Sky's strongest rider in this race when Froome crashed early on and couldn't keep up in the mountains.

The three-week race covered 3,351 kilometres (2,082 miles).

Paris, France. 29th July, 2018.

1. 00:00 Supporters applauding when cyclists pass by

2. 00:10 Geraint Thomas arrives at Sky autocar hours after he won the Tour de France

3. 00:24 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"You know we are always thinking about the process and what you do day after day and you never think at the outcome, the reaction. It all came flooding out at me quite literally yesterday. Yeah, like just see everyone, people I don't even know are over the moon about it and it's just so flattering and incredible."

4. 00:43 Supporters applauding with Welsh flag behind

5. 00:49 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"You know, I believed I could beat everyone on my day but to do it day after day and for three weeks, which is the first time I tried, yeah it's just insane. It's just been an amazing year and the confidence in riding on the crest of a wave, I am certainly going to enjoy this."

6. 01:04 Supporters clapping

7. 01:13 Geraint Thomas in front of the Sky autocar doing the Iceland 'Thunderclap' together with Sky Team manager Dave Brailsford

8. 01:37 Supporters clapping hands

9. 01:39 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"I had goose bumps coming down the Champs Elysees and the Welsh flags, all the support, it's just like 'I won the Tour, how has that all happened?'. It's just mental."

10. 01:52 Supporters with Welsh flag

11. 01:57 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"Like I said, you don't think about this part, you think about winning and crossing the line in the yellow jersey, but you're never thinking about all the people that are going to message you, the kind messages you are going to get and all the support and all the random people that are saying how they have cried seeing you win and they never met me. It's just insane. I really appreciate all this support. Obviously, it's been a tough Tour from that side of things, but the support has never shown any negativity and that means so much to us."

12. 02:27 Chris Froome with team-mates

13. 02:34 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Sky manager:

"The great thing about this particular Tour de France is that both guys are so experienced, they are both very mature and they were fantastic together, you know, there was no conflict, they supported each other. What a class by Chris Froome. The moment he realized he was not going to win the race, straight he went to help his teammate. That's the sign of a great, great champion."

14. 03:00 Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas with team mates

15. 03:17 Sky autocar and supporters

16. 03:22 Geraint Thomas greeting supporters and entering in the Sky bus

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:52

SHOTLIST:

Paris, France - July 21st, 2013.

1. 00:00 Close Tour de France winner Team Sky's Chris Froome

2. 00:10 Mid Froome hugging team members

3. 00:25 Pan Froome celebrating

4. 00:39 Mid Froome inside Team Sky bus waving

5. 00:43 Pan Froome inside bus

6. 0:49 Pan Team Sky bus leaving Concorde plaza in central Paris

7. 00:54 Pan Team Sky General Manager David Brailsford

8. 01:06 SOUNDBITE (English) David Brailsford, Team Sky general manager:

"I don't think you can ever get used to that you know, it's quite breath taking really. The lads did a fantastic race and I think there isn't a better setting for cycling in the world, or any setting, the Champs Elysees, an iconic place, and this year the sun is going down, it is very emotional you know."

9. 01:22 Close Brailsford

10. 01:28 SOUNDBITE (English) David Brailsford, Team Sky general manager:

"It couldn't be better for us, the team really, the fact the Tour will be in Britain next year, I think it will be crazy with the British cycling fans. The sport has grown you know we have got some brilliant brilliant fans, and it will be just fantastic to race in front of them. I am looking forward to it, I am really really looking forward to it."

11. 01:47 Team Sky celebrating victory

12. 01:55 SOUNDBITE (English) David Brailsford, Team Sky general manager:

"We are so focused on what we do, it is pretty intense the way we work, and we ask a lot of the guys, we ask a lot of the back room staff, we ask a lot of the riders, and to be fair I think they give their all. I hope people are happy, but certainly the team and Chris is very very happy."

13. 02:15 Pan Brailsford waving at the crowd

14. 02:20 SOUNDBITE (English) Geraint Thomas, Team Sky rider (about team leader and Tour de France winner Chris Froome):

"It's unbelievable you know, I think this he's really grown as a leader, he got used to that role. I have only been around him since May, but to see him work, his dedication, and how hard he trains, and everything he does off the bike, all building up to these 3 weeks, and just dealing with the pressure like he does, he copes with it really well. He tells what he wants, and he goes out and he delivers, and we take a lot of confidence with him in that."

15. 03:00 Mid Thomas

16. 03:06 SOUNDBITE (English) Geraint Thomas, Team Sky rider (about finishing the race together as a team):

"Obviously that was special. We don't get to do the lap of honor anymore, so it was nice for all of us to come together, because it doesn't happen everyday you know, you are a kid you dream of riding the Tour and coming to Paris, but I never even thought that one day I would be part of a British team, with a British rider winning. You know, I missed that only last year but it more than makes up for it this year."

17. 03:36 Close Team Sky bike

18. 03:41 SOUNDBITE (English) Peter Kennaugh, Team Sky rider:

"From the outside, I have watched it every year since I was maybe 5, it just looked so much more glamorous than it is, the reality of the Tour de France is just pain and suffering. Even that last couple laps down there was just painful. For any kid watching at home, it is still amazing to be part of a team, I think now when you can sort of appreciate what we have done and really enjoy the hard work that we have put in."

19. 04:25 Mid Team Sky rider Ian Stannard

20. 04:30 SOUNDBITE (English) Ian Stannard, Team Sky general manager (about Chris Froome):

"He is pretty down to earth, he knows what he is doing, he is pretty calm, cold and collected. He knows when to make the right decision, and when to make the race hard."

21. 04:44 Brailsford leaving on bike

STORYLINE:

Reaction on Sunday (21 July) following Chris Froome's win in the 100th edition of the Tour de France.

Small groups of Colombians celebrated in Paris on Sunday after the Tour de France victory of one of their own - 22-year-old Egan Bernal.

Bernal is South America's first winner of cycling's greatest race.

Amid the Parisians on the Champs Elysees and around the Arc de Triomphe, pockets of Colombians could be seen waving their flag jubilantly.

The youngest champion of the post-World War II era, the slightly built Colombian with a killer instinct on the road proved to be the strongest of the 176 strong men who roared off from the start in Brussels, Belgium, on July 6 on their 3,366-kilometre (2,092-mile) odyssey that delivered the most absorbing, drama-packed Tour in decades and a new cycling superstar in the making: Bernal.

Riding a yellow bike, and cheered by Colombian fans who were partying even before he rattled up the cobblestones of the famous avenue,

Bernal crossed the line with his teammate Geraint Thomas, the 2018 champion who this year finished second.

Paris - 28 July 2019

1. Colombians celebrating near the Arc de Triomphe while holding the Colombian flag

2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Leon Heriniseono, Colombian living in France:

"Today I am feeling really proud of being Colombian and being part of the Colombian family. Thanks to everybody  for the support from Colombia. Come on Colombia!"

3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Jonathan Nino, Colombian visiting France to watch the Tour de France:

"It is something that we were seeing for a long time because he is a prodigy back in Colombia. It's been very exciting, and we are very happy because it's been very difficult to achieve it."

4. Colombians celebrating near Arc de Triomphe

5. Woman waves a Colombian flag in front of the Arc de Triomphe

6. Colombian man waves a huge Colombian flag alongside his family, celebrating

7. Close up of Colombian flag, zoom out to the Colombian man and his family

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Lorena Cruz, Colombian living in London:

"I'm very excited, I'm very excited. This is the first time a Colombian wins the Tour of France and he's quite young, so it's very exciting."

9. Woman draped in Colombian flag celebrating

STORYLINE:

Defending champion Geraint Thomas and Mark Cavendish spoke about the route for the 2019 Tour de France after it was announced in Paris on Thursday (25th October).

SCRIPTING INFORMATION:

Next year's Tour de France will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the showcase race's iconic yellow jersey.

With France emerging from the carnage of World War I, the Tour offered its beacon of hope to the war-ravaged nation.

In 1919, the race leader's yellow jersey — which has become cycling's most iconic symbol — was introduced.

"It came straight out of the trenches, born from the rubble of a wounded France," Tour race director Christian Prudhomme said Thursday, unveiling the route for the July 6-28 race.

Joining Prudhomme on stage were five-time Tour winners Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.

Only four riders, including Jacques Anquetil, have won five Tours; Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven titles for doping.

British rider Chris Froome will try to win his fifth title next year, but will have to depose his Team Sky teammate Geraint Thomas over the 3,460-kilometre (2,145-mile) race.

It features seven flat stages for sprinters, five hilly ones for all-rounders, seven mountain stages — five with summit finishes — one team time trial and one individual time trial.

The big climbs start in the Pyrenees before hitting the Alps.

The Tour has less of the Hors Categorie (Beyond Classification) climbs than before - those HC climbs are the most gruelling.

Instead, the race has more of the Category Two climbs — which are noticeably less difficult and favour attacking strategies.

Sky has won six of the past seven races, often controlling them in the mountains by easily repelling attacks.

This has given the team an aura of invincibility and the race a predictable tone.

With closer racing needed, the two time trials combine for a relatively low 54 kilometres, meaning specialists such as Froome have less chance to gain significant time advantages.

The race begins with a flat stage for sprinters around the city of Brussels and stays there the next day for the 27 kilometre team time trial.

After leaving Belgium, the Tour snakes through the Champagne and Lorraine regions.

Stage 4 for sprinters starts in Reims — the Champagne-producing city where 25 French kings were crowned in its cathedral.

With the race leaving the Alsace region, Stage 7 is the longest at 230 kilometres and made for sprinters.

The next day's stage is a hilly one, with several short but sharp climbs from Macon to Saint-Etienne.

The first rest day is July 16 in Albi in southern France, followed by a sprint stage before the Tour enters the high Pyrenees.

Stage 14 on July 20 features finishes with a climb up the Tourmalet pass, one of the most famed in Tour history.

Riders tackle three days of Alpine climbing on stages 18-20, featuring an ascent up the famed Galibier and imposing Iseran — standing 2,770 metres — and culminating with a relentless 33.4 kilometre trek up to the ski resort of Val Thorens.

After the weary peloton is flown towards Paris, the race ends the next day with its processional showcase stage on the Champs-Elysees.

Palais des Congres, Paris, France. 25th October 2018.

1. 00:00 Wide of cyclists walking on stage

2. 00:04 Mark Cavendish on stage

3. 00:10 Christopher Froome on stage

4. 00:19 Geraint Thomas on stage

5. 00:30 Froome and Thomas going back to their seats

6. 00:40 Geraint Thomas

7. 00:43 Christopher Froome

8. 00:47 Julian Alaphilippe

9. 00:51 Mark Cavendish

10. 00:57 Primoz Roglic

11. 01:01 Five-time Tour de France winners Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, and Miguel Indurain, Raymond Poulidor, French former professional bicycle racer known as "The Eternal Second", and Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme

(UPSOUND Raymond Poulidor "Between us four we have won 15 Tour de France")

12. 01:09 Pan of Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Raymond Poulidor on stage

13. 01:21 Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme arriving on stage with map of Tour de France 2019 on large screen

14. 01:26 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"It's solid, it's tough as ever, but it's hard to take in it all when it's so quick but there are some big stages, obviously a lot of climbs finishing over 2,000 metres, medium mountain days, you know, look hard as well so yes it's going to be a tough race."

15. 01:42 Close up Thomas' eyes

16. 01:47 SOUNDBITE (English) Geraint Thomas, 2018 Tour de France winner:

"Yeah I think that will be really nice, I've raced in Belgium quite a lot before in the past, so yeah it will be nice to go back and obviously team time trial which we are normally pretty good at. It will be nice to try and try and win that for a change, rather than second and third, which we always seem to be."

17. 02:03 Geraint Thomas talking to journalists

18. 02:07 SOUNDBITE (English): Mark Cavendish, British sprinter who has won 30 Tour de France stages:

"It's flat enough for me, it's 21 flat dates isn't it, but yes, when you've got six or seven spin opportunities that's good, that's fair and there is that, you know. We've got the climbs. I think although there's more climbing, probably more altitude metres, it's still probably (doesn't finish sentence).... 2018 was near-on impossible to reach Paris for most of the sprinters - just the position of the climbs and the layout of the stages whereas here, though there's more climbing there's actually a better opportunity for us. If we work hard, we get to Paris. This year, it didn't matter how hard you worked physiologically, we'd never get to Paris. I was sick in the end, but I don't think even if I was well I wouldn't have reached it. It's quite nice next year - I'm looking forward to it."

19. 02:54 Tour de France presentation on large screen

20. 02:59 Cavendish watching presentation

21. 02:17 SOUNDBITE (English): Mark Cavendish, British sprinter who won 30 Tour de France stages:

"Yeah I hope so. Just back on my bike now. Yeah, there's enough time to get health... to get fit, as long as I'm healthy so I'm monitoring my health at the minute and we'll see where I'm at."

(Journalist: What does the Tour de France mean?)

It's everything for me. It's everything for every bike rider. Even guys who don't ride the road, professional track riders always dreamt of one point or another riding the Tour de France. For me it's everything, it's my career, it's what I've built everything on. It's what I'll continue to do. It's the only reason I still ride a bike now."

22. 03:30 Cavendish leaving

23. 03:35 Wide pan from audience clapping to stage

23. 03:42 Audience listening

SOURCE: SNTV

DURATION: 03:47

Reaction after Colombia's Egan Bernal became the first South American to win the Tour de France on Sunday - the 22 year-old beating last year's champion and Team Ineos team-mate Geraint Thomas into second place.

Paris, France. 28th July, 2019.

1. 00:00 Egan Bernal arriving at Ineos Team bus, fans and other team members applauding, surrounded by cameramen

2. 00:11 Team Ineos general manager Dave Brailsford hugs Egan Bernal who is then congraulated by well-wishers

3. 00:53 Fans and journalists at Ineos team bus

4. 00:57 Geraint Thomas leaning near team bus, Egan Bernal left of him

5. 01:06 Geraint Thomas taking a photo with a fan, then turning down interview requests

6. 01:24 Geraint Thomas drinking beer

7. 01:32 Egan Bernal shaking hands with fans, approaching bus

8. 01:43 Egan Bernal being given a bottle of beer, Bernal drinking inside bus

9. 01:54 Geraint Thomas outside bus

10. 02:03 Egan Bernal being hugged inside bus

11. 02:14 Egan Bernal being hugged outside bus

12. 02:31 Camera pan left over fans chanting to Bernal behind barrier

13. 02:38 Dave Brailsford lifting up Bernal's hand

14. 02:45 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"Yes, this was my first Tour de France and the truth is I am very happy. The truth is that this is not only for me, it's for Colombia. We have a history….the Tour de France is the most famous..."

15. 03:13 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I'd like to enjoy this with my team, with my family as see what happens this evening."

16. 03:17 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I don't have any idea what is going to happen. I am happy in Paris…

17. 03:35 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

"I won't ever forget this and it's for Colombia."

18. 03:46 SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Egan Bernal, Tour de France winner:

Reporter: For all those in Colombia watching do you have anything to say?

Answer: Thank you for everything. I love you all and I am proud to be Colombian

Reporter: Are you going to be able to win more times?

Answer: I don't know. I just want to enjoy a few beers now."

19. 03:59 Dave Brailsford wearing Colombia jersey

20. 04:11 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Ineos general manager:

(on Bernal)

"Yeah, yeah, viva Colombia! Tour de France, what more could you want? We've got a new champion, a new ambassador, what a brilliant ambassador for Colombia is Egan Bernal."

21. 04:28 SOUNDBITE (English): Dave Brailsford, Team Ineos general manager:

"Well, we'll come back next year and we'll try and do it again I think. But for the moment, I think he needs to enjoy the moment, have a party, celebrate and then try and realise what he's achieved. I think it's something historic for Colombia, very, very important I think and I'm very, very happy to help him achieve this goal."

22. 04:53 Bernal and Brailsford meeting fans

23. 05:10 People gathering in front of Ineos team bus, one holding Colombia flag