▁was ▁able ▁to ▁defend ▁his ▁lead ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁stage , ▁with ▁assistance ▁from ▁team mate ▁Ser gio ▁H ena o , ▁after ▁Cont ador ▁repeatedly ▁attacked ▁and ▁dist anced ▁Thomas ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁clim b ▁of ▁the ▁Col ▁d ' È ze . ▁Thomas ▁crossed ▁the ▁finish ▁line ▁in ▁Nice ▁ 1 1 ▁seconds ▁after ▁Cont ador ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁race ▁by ▁ 4 ▁seconds . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁it ▁was ▁reported ▁that ▁Thomas ▁had ▁signed ▁a ▁two - year ▁contract ▁extension ▁keeping ▁him ▁at ▁Sky ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁season . ▁However ▁the ▁following ▁month ▁he ▁clar ified ▁that ▁the ▁contract ▁was ▁for ▁one ▁year ▁with ▁the ▁option ▁of ▁a ▁further ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Thomas ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Team ▁Sky ▁squad ▁at ▁the ▁Tour ▁de ▁France ▁that ▁a ided ▁Chris ▁Fro ome ▁in ▁se cur ing ▁his ▁third ▁Tour ▁de ▁France ▁overall ▁win . ▁Thomas ▁finished ▁ 1 5 th ▁overall ▁for ▁the ▁second ▁year ▁in ▁succession . ▁ ▁Thomas ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁ride ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Road ▁Race . ▁He ▁crash ed ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁descent , ▁around ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁finish ▁of ▁the ▁race , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁near ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁race ▁in ▁and ▁with ▁a ▁chance ▁of ▁contest ing ▁the ▁finale . ▁Thomas ▁re - mount ed , ▁and ▁managed ▁to ▁finish ▁in ▁ 1 1 th ▁place ▁two ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁minutes ▁ad rift ▁of ▁gold ▁med