Geraint Thomas becomes first Welshman to win Tour de France after crossing finish line in Paris

Credit: PA Images

Geraint Thomas has officially won the Tour de France.

Thomas crossed the finish line of the 21st stage of the cycling race in Paris to seal his victory.

Credit: PA Images

He is the first Welshman to win the 2082-mile race that passes through the Pyrenees and the Alps over a three-week period.

He is also the third Briton to win joining Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

Thomas posted on his Instagram page this morning that he was celebrating his victory by eating Welsh Cakes.

Geraint Thomas posted on his social media page that he was celebrating his win by eating a Welsh cake. Credit: Instagram/ Geraint Thomas
Thomas' wife Sara surprised him at the finish line after Saturday's stage Credit: PA Images

Thomas celebrated on the roads as he cycled into the capital that finished at the Champs-Élysées.

He enjoyed two stage wins along the way, with his career total now at three after victory on the opening time trial of last year's Tour set up four days in yellow for the Welshman.

At the end of the traditionally processional final stage, Team Sky's Thomas crossed the line alongside team-mate Chris Froome to confirm his overall victory by one minute and 51 seconds over Team Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin, with Froome a further 33 seconds back.

Speaking to ITV Sport he said the win was what "stuff of dreams were made of."

On the podium the Welshman thanked his wife and told aspiring athletes watching in Maindy Flyers, his boyhood cycling club in Cardiff, to "just dream big and go for it."

Legions of fans, some of whom followed his entire Le Tour journey, turned out to cheer the Welshman over the finish line.

Fellow Whitchurch High pupil and Real Madrid star Gareth Bale posted a picture on social media to congratulate Geraint on the achievement.

Matt Page from Llangadog took it one step further and named his newborn son after the Tour winner.

He tweeted, "This little one arrived into the world yesterday. Named him after Geraint. From one very proud Welsh cyclist to another, llongyfarchiadau. I couldn't ask for a better role model for him."

Thomas was thrilled to be the inspiration for Matt's baby name. He took to Twitter to send his congratulations to his namesake.

Crowds also shortly turned out in Cardiff for a celebratory bike ride to mark Geraint Thomas' win.

Cardiff Council tweeted to say it is a "landmark victory for Welsh sport" and discussions for Geraint's homecoming will take place early next week.