A legend of Welsh cycling confirmed he would be retiring after the Tour of Britain earlier this year, but the big reveal of the route cyclists will follow has confirmed his last climb will bring him to a finish above Abergavenny.

Geraint Thomas will get the chance to say goodbye to the sport on home soil in Wales, with the country chosen to host the last two stages of the 2025 Lloyds Tour of Britain this September.

The penultimate stage of the Tour, taking place on Saturday September 6, will begin in Pontypool and take a route through Monmouthshire.

The 39-year-old’s last big climb as a professional athlete will take the former Tour de France champion up the Tumble to Keepers Pond, taking in Fiddler’s Elbow and going passed Garnddyrys Forge.

The climb, which averages over an 8 per cent incline across its five kilometres, was last used by the race in 2014 and is seen as one of the most notorious in South Wales.

Thomas will retire after the final stage of the race the following day, which starts at the National Velodrome of Wales in Newport and takes riders via Maindy Velodrome in Cardiff, which is home to the club which gave Wales its first Tour de France Champion, before ending in the middle of the capital city.

In what will be a fitting end to Thomas’ career, there will be a keen local eye on how Monmouthshire welcomes the competition, with one senior councillor having asked whether the county could host part of the Tour de France.

Earlier this year, Cllr Richard John, Monmouthshire Conservative leader, wrote to the director of the Tour de France to request that the iconic 2027 Grand Départ route includes a section through Monmouthshire.

It has already been confirmed that the route will involve the UK, but specifics are yet to be finalised.