Friday 18 September 2015 13:49, UK
Sir Dave Brailsford has revealed that Geraint Thomas will focus on stage racing instead of the one-day classics in 2016.
Thomas has been one of the spearheads of Team Sky's challenge in the spring classics in recent years and won E3 Harelbeke in March.
But the 29-year-old Welshman has also emerged as a force in stage racing by winning this year's Volta ao Algarve, finishing fifth in Paris-Nice and second at the Tour de Suisse.
He then provided integral support in the mountains during Chris Froome's Tour de France triumph in July, and team principal Brailsford admitted those performances have prompted a change in role.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "Geraint is developing very fast and he showed this year that his climbing ability has come up to the level of the best in the world, and he time-trials very well.
"He has never really set his sights on stage racing, as such. He has always done the classics, the one-day races - where you need to be a bit heavier and a bit stronger - and then turned his attention to the stage racing.
"Now, for next season, he will really focus on the stage racing and see how he can go in that arena."
Brailsford hopes Thomas can still play a part in races such as the Tour of Flanders, but the Welshman's new focus leaves a hole in Team Sky's classics squad.
One rider who could replace him is Michal Kwiatkowski, who specialises in the Ardennes classics and has been heavily linked with a move to Team Sky in 2015.
Asked if Kwiatkowski would be joining the British squad in 2016, Brailsford said: "In the one-day races, if Geraint shifts his attention across to stage racing, we need to reinforce our ability in the one-day races.
"We have got some great, talented guys in Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Sergio Henao, but we just felt we could get stronger in that area, too."
