Welsh cyclist Geraint Thomas says he is looking forward to mentally “switching off” after a difficult time following his Giro d’Italia crash.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider, 34, crashed just before the start after a bottle became lodged under his front wheel.
As a result, the 2018 Tour de France champion was forced to pull out of the race, which was his biggest target for 2020, with a a fractured hip.
“Mentally I definitely need the break to just switch off,” said Thomas.
“I crashed out of the Giro which was my big goal of the year, so it also feels like I don’t deserve an off-season because I never really got into the racing.
“The first week after the injury was tough, I maybe wasn’t doing the rehab and resting as much as I could have but it’s a lot better now.
“The silver lining is I have had more time to spend with my one-year-old child.”
After withdrawing from the race, Thomas admits he struggled to watch as fellow Ineos rider Tao Geoghegan Hart became only the second British man to win the Giro d’Italia.
However Thomas was full of praise for the 25-year-old from Hackney.
“Tao is a great rider, full of potential, he was there to help me try to win initially,” Thomas told BBC Radio Wales.
“Obviously I had to go home after three days so he had the opportunity so to finish it off and deal with the pressure which was great for him and the team.”
Despite this year’s disappointment in Italy, and a busy schedule ahead in 2021, Thomas says the Giro is one of his potential targets for next year.
“The [targets next year are the] Tour de France and the Olympics, but I’ll have to sit down with the team and go through everything properly first,” he said.
“The Giro as well is also in the back of my mind, especially after this year.”