▁Despite ▁his ▁injury , ▁Thomas ▁continued , ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁finish ▁the ▁Tour ▁in ▁ 1 4 0 th ▁place , ▁helping ▁Fro ome ▁take ▁overall ▁victory . ▁▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁ ▁Thomas ▁once ▁again ▁started ▁the ▁season ▁at ▁the ▁Tour ▁Down ▁Under , ▁this ▁time ▁r iding ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁Rich ie ▁Por te , ▁and ▁finishing ▁e ighth ▁overall . ▁Thomas ▁was ▁again ▁scheduled ▁to ▁support ▁Por te ▁at ▁Paris – N ice , ▁but ▁an ▁injury ▁to ▁Fro ome ▁meant ▁that ▁Por te ▁was ▁switched ▁to ▁Tir reno – Ad ri at ico , ▁leaving ▁Thomas ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁squad ▁in ▁France . ▁Thomas ▁performed ▁strongly , ▁finishing ▁second ▁to ▁' s ▁Tom - J elte ▁S lag ter ▁on ▁the ▁fourth ▁stage , ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁leader ' s ▁yellow ▁j er sey , ▁before ▁dro pping ▁to ▁second ▁behind ▁Carlos ▁Bet an cur ▁on ▁the ▁sixth ▁stage . ▁The ▁next ▁day ▁however , ▁Thomas ▁hit ▁a ▁tree ▁on ▁a ▁descent ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁finish ; ▁although ▁he ▁would ▁complete ▁the ▁stage ▁some ▁seven ▁minutes ▁in ▁ar re ars , ▁Thomas ▁did ▁not ▁start ▁the ▁final ▁stage . ▁Thomas ▁recovered ▁to ▁take ▁his ▁good ▁form ▁into ▁the ▁Class ics ▁season , ▁finishing ▁third ▁in ▁E 3 ▁H arel be ke . ▁He ▁led ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁Tour ▁of ▁Fland ers ▁and ▁managed ▁an ▁e ighth - place ▁finish , ▁ 3 7 ▁seconds ▁behind ▁the ▁winning ▁r ider , ▁Fab ian ▁Can cell ara , ▁having ▁had