▁winning ▁stage ▁ 1 1 , ▁extended ▁his ▁lead ▁by ▁winning ▁stage ▁ 1 2 , ▁and ▁retained ▁the ▁lead ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Wel sh , ▁first ▁British - born ▁and ▁third ▁British ▁r ider ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Tour . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁BBC ▁Sports ▁Person ality ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁Award . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁pod ium ▁again , ▁having ▁finished ▁runner - up ▁in ▁the ▁Tour ▁de ▁France ▁behind ▁Team ▁I ne os ▁team mate ▁E gan ▁Bern al . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁amateur ▁career ▁Born ▁in ▁Card iff , ▁Wales , ▁Thomas ▁attended ▁Wh itch urch ▁High ▁School . ▁He ▁began ▁cy cling ▁with ▁the ▁Main dy ▁Fly ers ▁Cy cling ▁Club ▁at ▁Main dy ▁Stadium ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 0 , ▁where ▁he ▁rode ▁with ▁future ▁Team ▁Sky ▁team mate ▁Luke ▁R owe , ▁before ▁going ▁on ▁to ▁ride ▁for ▁other ▁local ▁clubs , ▁Cy cling ▁Club ▁Card iff ▁and ▁Card iff ▁Just ▁in ▁Front . ▁His ▁first ▁race ▁bi ke ▁was ▁a ▁blue ▁Gi ant . ▁Following ▁some ▁success es ▁in ▁under ▁ 1 4 ▁and ▁under ▁ 1 6 ▁events , ▁including ▁National ▁Championships , ▁his ▁first ▁notable ▁success ▁came ▁when ▁he ▁won ▁silver ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁points ▁race ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁U EC ▁European ▁Track ▁Championships , ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁a ▁junior ▁and ▁under - 2 3 ▁event .