▁by ▁Chris ▁Board man ' s ▁ 4 : 1 1 . 1 1 4 , ▁set ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁on ▁a ▁b icy cle ▁position ▁that ▁had ▁since ▁been ▁b anned . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁November , ▁on ▁the ▁last ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Cup ▁round , ▁Thomas ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁purs uit ▁squad ▁which ▁set ▁the ▁second - fast est ▁time ▁ever ▁on ▁their ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁gold ▁medal , ▁setting ▁a ▁new ▁track ▁record ▁of ▁ 3 ▁minutes ▁ 5 4 . 3 9 5 ▁seconds ▁in ▁the ▁process . ▁ ▁Thomas ▁was ▁runner - up ▁to ▁Ryan ▁G ig gs ▁in ▁the ▁BBC ▁Wales ▁Sports ▁Person ality ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁award ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ; ▁the ▁w inners ▁were ▁announced ▁on ▁ 8 ▁December . ▁He ▁left ▁Bar low orld ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁to ▁join ▁new ▁British ▁team , ▁. ▁▁ 2 0 1 0 : ▁Move ▁to ▁Team ▁Sky ▁Thomas ▁began ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁time ▁trial ▁winning ▁team ▁for ▁Sky ▁at ▁the ▁Tour ▁of ▁Q atar . ▁After ▁compet ing ▁in ▁the ▁class ics , ▁he ▁im pressed ▁at ▁the ▁Crit éri um ▁du ▁D au ph iné , ▁finishing ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ten ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁opening ▁four ▁stages . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁these ▁finish es , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁leader ▁in ▁green ▁j er sey ▁competition ▁for ▁stages ▁two , ▁four ▁and