um ▁du ▁D au ph iné ▁in ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁Chris ▁Fro ome , ▁who ▁had ▁won ▁the ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia ▁a ▁week ▁earlier . ▁Thomas ▁crash ed ▁during ▁the ▁opening ▁pro log ue ▁and ▁finished ▁over ▁ 2 0 ▁seconds ▁down ▁on ▁K wi at kow ski , ▁who ▁won ▁the ▁stage . ▁Team ▁Sky ▁won ▁the ▁team ▁time ▁trial ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 3 ▁with ▁Thomas ▁rising ▁to ▁fourth ▁overall . ▁Thomas ▁took ▁the ▁race ▁lead ▁after ▁finishing ▁second ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 5 ▁to ▁Val mor el ▁and ▁increased ▁his ▁lead ▁over ▁Adam ▁Y ates ▁to ▁ 1 ▁minute ▁ 2 9 ▁seconds ▁on ▁the ▁following ▁stage . ▁Despite ▁having ▁to ▁ch ase ▁back ▁twice ▁after ▁suffering ▁two ▁pun ct ures ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁stage , ▁Thomas ▁held ▁on ▁to ▁take ▁overall ▁victory ▁ahead ▁of ▁Y ates ▁and ▁Rom ain ▁B ard et ▁( ). ▁ ▁In ▁July , ▁Thomas ▁entered ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Tour ▁de ▁France ▁as ▁' joint ▁leader ' ▁of ▁Team ▁Sky ▁with ▁Chris ▁Fro ome . ▁A ▁crash ▁for ▁Fro ome ▁on ▁stage ▁ 1 ▁saw ▁him ▁lose ▁time ▁to ▁Thomas . ▁Sky ▁finished ▁second ▁behind ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁team ▁time ▁trial ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 2 . ▁After ▁avoid ing ▁the ▁crashes ▁and ▁mechanical ▁problems ▁suffered ▁by ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁GC ▁cont enders ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁week , ▁Thomas ▁sat ▁second ▁overall ▁when ▁the ▁race ▁entered ▁the ▁Al ps ▁on ▁Stage ▁ 1 0 , ▁just ▁ 4 3 ▁seconds ▁behind ▁the