Earlier than that Thomas will pull on the lycra and clip into his pedals for one last race.

The six-day Lloyds Tour of Britain begins in Suffolk on Tuesday, 2 September and finishes with two phases in Wales.

Sunday’s Newport to Cardiff finale is the right setting to finish the close to two-decade profession of Wales’ most profitable bicycle owner.

“I am actually trying ahead to it,” mentioned Thomas.

“Clearly it should be a mixture of feelings, it is all I’ve completed for 19 years so come Monday morning after the end in Cardiff it will be unusual waking up with no objectives or targets racing sensible, that is going to be unusual.”

Ten stage race wins, three World Championship victories, Olympic triumphs, a Commonwealth gold medal and quite a few different successes later, he’ll lastly pull off a race quantity for the ultimate time.

“I simply really feel so fortunate to have the ability to name time on my profession alone phrases, you realize after I’m ending and much more fortunate to resolve the place as properly,” he added.

“The truth that the Tour of Britain is in September on the finish of season and the final stage is into Cardiff is simply unreal actually.

“I feel they’re planning some occasion afterward in Cardiff Fortress as properly so it should be good to say because of the followers as properly.”

It won’t be the primary time the Welsh capital’s historic setting has paid tribute to the person who in 2018 received each BBC Wales and the nationwide BBC Sports activities Character of the Yr award.

That yr hundreds lined the streets to welcome dwelling their yellow-clad Tour-winning hero.

“That is in all probability the spotlight of every little thing I’ve completed off the bike actually, that homecoming in Cardiff,” mentioned Thomas.

“As a result of I dwell away, since I have been a professional, exterior of the UK you do not actually get an appreciation of the help you get.

“Clearly I do know it is a huge quantity and I get a large quantity on the street however then to return to Cardiff and to have that was simply insane.”

Comparable scenes are anticipated subsequent week, however as soon as the fuss has died down and earlier than he takes up his new roles Thomas is already planning extra time with spouse Sara and son Macs.

A primary ever snowboarding vacation – out of the query throughout his racing profession – has been booked.

Earlier than all of that there are simply 886km (553 miles) to race, six extra days of sweat and perhaps one or two extra tears.

“I feel so,” Thomas admitted.

“I used to be all the time winding up Sara – as a result of she’s fairly emotional, extra emotional than me – and I used to be winding her up about crying at our marriage ceremony, and I used to be the one which cried the entire time!

“Clearly within the Tour de France [win in 2018] it was an identical factor. I by no means thought concerning the finish, it was all the time about every day after which all of a sudden it obtained to the time trial and I would received it after which it hit me.

“That is after I ended up crying clearly on worldwide telly, so I feel Sunday may very well be related.”