▁D w ars ▁door ▁V la ander en ▁before ▁placing ▁t enth ▁in ▁the ▁Tour ▁of ▁Fland ers ▁Thomas ▁claimed ▁his ▁first ▁professional ▁victory ▁in ▁May , ▁by ▁winning ▁the ▁five - day ▁Bayern - R und fahrt ▁race , ▁after ▁finishing ▁second ▁on ▁stage ▁ 3 ▁and ▁fifth ▁on ▁stage ▁ 4 . ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Thomas ▁finished ▁second ▁to ▁Brad ley ▁W igg ins ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁National ▁Road ▁Race ▁Championships . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁Tour ▁de ▁France , ▁Thomas ▁finished ▁sixth ▁on ▁the ▁opening ▁stage ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁white ▁j er sey . ▁He ▁retained ▁the ▁j er sey ▁the ▁following ▁day , ▁as ▁Sky ▁finished ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁team ▁time ▁trial . ▁Thomas ▁lost ▁the ▁white ▁j er sey ▁to ▁Robert ▁Ges ink ▁on ▁stage ▁ 7 , ▁as ▁team ▁leader ▁Brad ley ▁W igg ins ▁crash ed ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁Tour , ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁Sky ▁rid ers ▁lost ▁time ▁after ▁waiting ▁for ▁him . ▁Thomas ▁won ▁the ▁comb ativity ▁award ▁on ▁the ▁ ▁stage ▁ 1 2 , ▁following ▁an ▁ag gress ive ▁break away ▁ ▁into ▁the ▁first ▁Py rene an ▁stage , ▁that ▁saw ▁him ▁lose ▁control ▁twice ▁on ▁the ▁descent ▁of ▁La ▁H our qu ette ▁d ' An ci zan . ▁He ▁finished ▁ 3 6 th ▁on ▁the ▁stage ▁after ▁being ▁caught ▁by ▁the ▁general ▁classification ▁leaders ▁with ▁ ▁to ▁go ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁clim b ▁of ▁the ▁day , ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁