On Thursday night in Turin's Parco di San Valentino, Geraint Thomas faced an old heartache. Ever since losing the pink jersey on the final weekend of last year's Giro d'Italia, the Welshman had avoided watching footage of the fateful time trial.

And now, as he waited to take the stage for the 2024 presentation, he was faced with footage of Primoš Roglic wading through a sea of Slovenian flags to climb Monte Russali and take the Maglia Rosa.

"It's kind of weird to see Roglič in the last TT," said the Spaniard. I love this race and I'm looking forward to it."

Twelve months ago, the Giro ultimately came down to a battle between Toma and Roglič on a mountainside on the Italian-Slovenian border. This time, another Slovenian, Tadej Pogaczal, is the favorite to win, but Toma knows that every obstacle in the three-week race can block a rider's path.

Last year's Giro was touted beforehand as a duel between Roglic and Lemko Evenpoel, but that changed when the Belgian, who dominated the opening week, was forced to retire due to illness.

Thomas is likely to challenge Pogachar's dominance on pedigree, if not necessarily on form. However, in an interview with Friday morning's La Gazzetta dello Sport, Thomas wrote in a bullish tone: "If Pogachar were invincible, I would not be in the Giro."

Thomas, a native of Wales, tends to construct his Grand Tour challenges carefully and minimize risk. Last year's Giro, like the 2022 Tour, saw him finish on the podium after three weeks of consistent riding, but this time he has shown a willingness to take risks.

"As long as it's the wrong time and place," Thomas told La Gazzetta. I'm not going to bother attacking with 80km to go. As a team we want to race a little more aggressively, and that means going for the stages, not just the GC.

On Thursday night, Thomas was forced to think about Monte Russali, but he downplayed the idea that he still had unfinished business in the Giro. Greater frustration, he explained, occurred in 2017 and 2020. The first time, Thomas was involved in a mass accident at the foot of the Brockhaus. Three years later, his Giro came to an end when Bidon jumped into his path at the start of the third stage to Mount Etna.

"Last year I felt I had unfinished business because I had crashed twice when I was going well," he said. But last year I felt like I accomplished something there, because I was in second place right after the start of the preparations." Primoz won last year. His last TT was amazing.

"Of course I want to win, I want to turn it around from last year, but I don't feel any pressure because I accomplished something in the Giro. Of course I want to win and I'm going to do everything I can. But maybe having less pressure will give me a little bit more of an advantage and maybe I'll try to do something different and not be so conservative."

On Friday morning, Ineos Grenadiers announced that Thomas' friend and podcast co-host Luke Rowe will retire at the end of the season. Thomas has stated that he will continue racing until 2025, which will likely be his last year in the pro peloton, but it is not yet certain.

"At some point you have to stop, and that might be the right moment," Thomas said. 'And Thomas said. 'They'll make a decision in the winter.'

Like last season, Thomas has deliberately kept his preparations for the Giro low-key. He finished more than 18 minutes behind Pogachar in the Volta a Catalunya and showed signs of gradual progress in the Tour de Alps, as he did in 2023. This season, Thomas promised to keep riding after the Giro. Like Pogachar, he will also take on the Tour.

"I think I started a little slow this year. We were thinking about backing up the Tour," Thomas said at the team presentation on Thursday night.

"But we're thinking about getting to the Giro in the best shape possible, and we're not thinking any further than Rome.