Wearing an all-yellow skin suit on a bike in the red, white and blue colors of the British flag, Thomas was the last rider to start.

In a few drops of rain, Thomas was quick to regain control when his wheel appeared to lock up coming around a tricky, tight corner early on. Still, he was first at the two checkpoints before slowing in the final kilometers.

“I felt strong,” Thomas said. “I felt really good, actually. I heard I was up and maybe I was pushing it a bit hard on some of those corners.”.

He said Nico Portal, Sky’s sports director, told him to relax and just make sure he won the Tour.

At the finish, Thomas let out a loud scream and held his arms out wide in celebration. He embraced his wife, Sara Elen, as soon as he got off his bike.

“The last time I cried was when I got married,” Thomas said as he teared up.

Thomas is poised to become the third British rider — and first Welshman — to win the Tour after Bradley Wiggins and Froome. He will give Sky its sixth victory in the last seven years.

“It’s insane really — just all the interest in Cardiff,” Thomas said. “Great to put it on the map. We’re a small nation and we really get behind anyone that’s successful. By the sounds of it, it’s gone pretty crazy back home, so looking forward to going back to celebrate.”

An all-around rider who began his career on the track, Thomas helped Britain to gold medals in team pursuit at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics before turning his full attention to road racing.