BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2017: Geraint Thomas profile

Cyclist Geraint Thomas crowned 2017 by becoming the first Welsh rider to lead the Tour de France and wear the prestigious leader's yellow jersey.

The 31-year-old began the year by becoming the first British winner of the Tour of the Alps and then led Team Sky in the Giro d'Italia - one of the three Grand Tours alongside the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.

In July came the Tour de France, with Thomas again taking his place with Team Sky under team leader Chris Froome.

Thomas took the opening day's time trial in Dusseldorf to lead the race and then held on to the yellow jersey for a further three stages, before Froome took the lead on stage five.

The Welshman was still handily placed in second though, leading to thoughts that Thomas' early race form could translate to a podium finish at the finish line in Paris.

But on a mountain descent on stage nine, Thomas suffered a broken collarbone after being brought down by Polish rider Rafal Majka.

Thomas went to Whitchurch High School which also produced British and Irish Lions rugby union captain Sam Warburton and fellow Welsh Sports Personality 2017 nominee, Real Madrid footballer Gareth Bale.

Thomas served notice of his talent by winning the Junior World Championships and Paris-Roubaix in 2004, achievements that saw him earned him the Carwyn James Junior Award at the 2004 BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year.

Thomas made his Tour de France debut in 2007 - where he was the youngest rider - becoming the first Welshman in 40 years to ride in the Tour, while on the track as part of Great Britain's team pursuit triumphed in the World Championships in Mallorca, Spain.

The following year he set road racing aside to help GB's team pursuit quartet achieve double track gold at the 2008 World Championships and Beijing Olympic Games.

Thomas was appointed an MBE in the 2009 New Year's Honours List and won the British National Road Race title in 2010.

In May 2011, he celebrated his first professional road win in the Tour of Bavaria and the now Team Sky rider wore the white jersey for the top young rider for seven stages during the 2011 Tour de France.

In 2012 GB's team pursuit again claimed both World Championship and Olympic titles, but that signalled a change of emphasis for Thomas to road racing.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Thomas won bronze in the time trial and then gold in the road race - achievements that saw him voted the 2014 BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year.

The following year Thomas claimed his first Volta ao Algarve title and then became the first British rider to win the 215km E3 Harelbeke race in Belgium, before helping Froome win the Tour de France.

Thomas retained his Volta ao Algarve title in 2016, followed that up by winning the Paris-Nice and then helped Froome secure his third Tour de France title. At the Rio Olympics he crashed in the road race when in the hunt for a medal, finishing 11th, and came ninth in the time trial.

Voting for BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year 2017 will open from 08:00 GMT on Monday, 27 November and close at 18:00 GMT on Saturday, 2 December.

Full voting terms and conditions will be available on the BBC website and will also be carried on radio and television.

The winner will be unveiled on Monday, 4 December.

This event is not connected with the UK Sports Personality of the Year and is for the Wales award only.