. ▁ ▁Thomas ▁finished ▁second ▁behind ▁Taylor ▁Ph in ney ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁time ▁trial ▁of ▁the ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia . ▁Thomas ▁acted ▁as ▁lead ▁out ▁man ▁to ▁Mark ▁Cav end ish ▁in ▁the ▁race , ▁helping ▁him ▁to ▁three ▁stage ▁vict ories . ▁Thomas ▁also ▁finished ▁second ▁to ▁Marco ▁Pin otti ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁stage ▁time ▁trial ▁in ▁Milan . ▁ ▁Thomas ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁team ▁purs uit ▁team ▁for ▁the ▁Olympics , ▁along ▁with ▁Steven ▁Bur ke , ▁Ed ▁Cl ancy ▁and ▁Peter ▁Kenn augh . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁August ▁the ▁quart et ▁set ▁a ▁new ▁world ▁record ▁of ▁ 3 : 5 2 . 4 9 9 ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁heat ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁The ▁team ▁set ▁the ▁fast est ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round , ▁setting ▁up ▁a ▁final ▁with ▁Australia ▁to ▁decide ▁the ▁gold ▁medal ▁w inners . ▁In ▁the ▁final , ▁the ▁British ▁team ▁set ▁another ▁world ▁record ▁of ▁ 3 : 5 1 . 6 5 9 , ▁finishing ▁nearly ▁three ▁seconds ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁Austral ians , ▁with ▁Thomas ▁retain ing ▁his ▁gold ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁event . ▁▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁ ▁Thomas ▁began ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁season ▁at ▁the ▁Tour ▁Down ▁Under . ▁He ▁won ▁stage ▁ 2 ▁after ▁attack ing ▁on ▁the ▁C ork s cre w ▁clim b , ▁and ▁out s print ing ▁three ▁rid ers ▁that ▁had ▁joined ▁him ▁on ▁the ▁descent . ▁Thomas ▁held ▁the ▁race ▁lead ▁until ▁the ▁pen