TOUR de France winner Geraint Thomas is gearing up to sweep through Monmouthshire in his final race this weekend, as well as a future possible management role with Team Ineos when his bike wheels stop spinning.

The 39-year-old, who owns the St Tewdrics wedding venue near Chepstow, is set to bow out in the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain, which circles the county on Saturday in its penultimate stage before finishing with two climbs up 'the Tumble' - the Blorenge road overlooking Abergavenny, which he name-checked as one of his favourite hill rides in his book Mountains According to G.

And Geraint, who also won two Olympic track gold medals, as well another two top-three finishes in the Tour and two in the Giro d'Italia, is set for an emotional send off on Sunday when the final stage starts at the Newport velodrome named in his honour, heads over Caerphilly Mountain and finishes in his home city of Cardiff where it all began.

"I'm really looking forward to it," the 2018 Tour de France winner told BBC Radio Wales before the six stage race started on Tuesday.

"Obviously it's going to be a mix of emotions, it's all I've done for 19 years, so come Monday morning after the finish in Cardiff it'll be strange waking up with no goals or targets racing wise, that's going to be strange.

"I just feel so lucky to be able to call time on my career on my own terms, you know when I'm finishing and even more lucky to decide where as well.

"The fact that the Tour of Britain is in September at the end of season and the last stage is into Cardiff is just unreal really.

"I think they're planning some event afterward in Cardiff Castle as well, so it's going to be nice to say thanks to the fans as well."

The city welcomed him back in 2018 after winning cycling's biggest race, when thousands lined the streets to honour the yellow jersey winner.

And he told BBC Radio Wales: "That's probably the highlight of everything I've done off the bike really, that homecoming in Cardiff.

"Because I live away, since I've been a pro, outside of the UK you don't really get an appreciation of the support you get.

"Obviously I know it's a massive amount and I get a massive amount on the road but then to go back to Cardiff and to have that was just insane."

Geraint recalled how it suddenly hit him that he'd won the Tour after the final time trial and: "That's when I ended up crying on international telly, so I think Sunday could be similar."

And looking ahead, the frequent racer at the old Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, said he is hoping to work part-time with Ineos on the mangement side.

"Obviously Dave Brailsford is sort of back in the fold now (from Mancester United) with the team... and he's key to the success of the team from the start.

"The thinking is just to be able to work closely with him and learn off him from that side of things."

And Monaco-based Geraint, who aims to move back to Cardiff, where it all started at Maindy Stadium, also sees a role in "the real grassroots stuff as well of trying to get kids active and getting them enjoying riding their bikes".

"If I didn't live so close to Maindy or if I didn't live in Cardiff I may never have ridden a bike, I may never have had the career I had, the life I've had, the enjoyment... and all the travelling and met all the great people I have.

"It sounds a bit corny, but [I want to] spread that joy really and just get everyone out on the bike."