▁his ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁season ▁in ▁February ▁at ▁the ▁Vol ta ▁ao ▁Al gar ve , ▁where ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁ ▁individual ▁time ▁trial ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 3 ▁to ▁increase ▁his ▁overall ▁race ▁lead . ▁However , ▁he ▁missed ▁out ▁on ▁overall ▁victory ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁stage ▁when ▁a ▁ 3 1 - man ▁break away ▁went ▁clear ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁kilometres ▁including ▁his ▁team mate , ▁the ▁second ▁placed ▁r ider ▁Mich al ▁K wi at kow ski . ▁K wi at kow ski ▁held ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁stage ▁on ▁the ▁Mal h ão ▁to ▁take ▁overall ▁victory ▁by ▁ 1 ▁minute ▁ 3 1 ▁seconds ▁over ▁Thomas . ▁In ▁March , ▁Thomas ▁again ▁suffered ▁mis fort une ▁whilst ▁leading ▁Tir reno – Ad ri at ico ▁when ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 4 ▁he ▁suffered ▁a ▁mechanical ▁issue ▁ 1 . 5   km ▁from ▁the ▁sum mit ▁of ▁the ▁final ▁clim b ▁to ▁S arn ano – S ass ot etto ▁that ▁saw ▁him ▁lose ▁ 3 4 ▁seconds ▁and ▁the ▁overall ▁leader ' s ▁blue ▁j er sey . ▁He ▁eventually ▁finished ▁third ▁overall , ▁again ▁behind ▁team mate ▁K wi at kow ski ▁and ▁Dam iano ▁Car uso ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁In ▁April , ▁Thomas ▁returned ▁to ▁Paris – R ou ba ix , ▁but ▁abandoned ▁after ▁crash ing ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁c ob bled ▁sector ▁of ▁the ▁race . ▁▁ ▁In ▁June , ▁Thomas ▁led ▁Team ▁Sky ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Crit éri