ete ▁in ▁the ▁race ▁since ▁Col in ▁Lewis ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁Thomas ▁received ▁great ▁support ▁from ▁Wel sh ▁fans ▁at ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁race , ▁with ▁several ▁following ▁the ▁entire ▁race . ▁He ▁completed ▁his ▁first ▁Tour ▁de ▁France , ▁finishing ▁ 1 4 0 th ▁of ▁ 1 4 1 ▁finish ers . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁BBC ▁Wales ▁Sports ▁Person ality ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁award ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁The ▁w inners ▁were ▁announced ▁on ▁ 2 ▁December , ▁and ▁Thomas ▁came ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁vote . ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 : ▁Olympic ▁gold ▁Thomas ▁did ▁not ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁Tour ▁de ▁France , ▁instead , ▁he ▁rode ▁the ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁season ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁Britain ▁to ▁concent rate ▁on ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁the ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Be ij ing . ▁On ▁discover ing ▁that ▁the ▁flags ▁of ▁non - part icip ating ▁nations ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁allowed ▁at ▁the ▁Games , ▁Thomas ▁said : ▁" It ▁would ▁be ▁great ▁to ▁do ▁a ▁lap ▁of ▁honour ▁d rap ed ▁in ▁the ▁Wel sh ▁flag ▁if ▁I ▁win ▁a ▁gold ▁medal , ▁and ▁I ' m ▁very ▁disappoint ed ▁if ▁this ▁rule ▁means ▁that ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁possible ." ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁August , ▁Thomas ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Olympic ▁team ▁purs uit ▁squad ▁which ▁broke ▁the ▁world ▁record ▁in ▁the ▁he ats ▁with ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 3 :