If anyone could make light of Ben Tullett's repeated misfortunes, it would be Geraint Thomas. The Welsh rider has had more crashes than he can remember over the years and empathized with his young Ineos Grenadiers teammate's travails in Portugal.

"I feel for little Ben. He crashes every day," Thomas said after the time trial in Tavira on stage 4. He's crashing every day," Thomas said after the stage 4 time trial in Tavira.

For Tourette, the Algarve pass was his second race in Ineos since moving from Alpecin-Phoenix in the offseason.

He finished the Etoile de Besseges despite crashing in the first stage, and in the Algarve he crashed again in the finale of the first day. Two days later, Tourette crashed again on the way to Faro, but finished the race as he did in France.

"It's been a tough start to the year. I've been on deck three times so far this season, but I'm really enjoying being with my new team," Tourette told Cycling News in Lagoa before the final stage.

"Of course, I'm a little disappointed that I crashed, but it's very exciting to be here with a really strong team."

Crashes may be an everyday occurrence in professional cycling, but that doesn't mean their consequences are routine. Tullett escaped fatal injury in an early season crash, but he was still dealing with the effects of the crash at the Volta ao Algarve. He was originally scheduled to compete in the Strade Bianche in early March, but will miss the race in order to recover more fully for the Volta a Catalunya later this month.

"I haven't slept very well, so I'm keeping a very close eye on it. 'I've got some pretty bad road rash on my legs and arms, so I'm monitoring that as well. I'm taking it one day at a time."

"In Alto da Fóia and Alto do Malhão, Daniel Martinez and Ethan Hayter finished third and fourth overall, respectively.

"I was really happy to ride with everyone and lead everyone. We were really close as a group, so it's really nice to make it as a team," said Truett, fulfilling a childhood dream.

When he was accepted to join the Ineos last fall, Tourette also confessed that he had grown up idolizing the English national team.

"I remember visiting the 2017 Vuelta as a fan, seeing Chris Froome and the whole team, and wanting a seat on that bus one day," he said.

Still only 20, Tourette finished ninth overall at the Tour de Pollogne, 12th at Flèche Wallonne, and enjoyed a great 2021 campaign in Alpecin-Phoenix; with Ineos, he was a two-time junior cyclo-cross world champion, Along with riders like Tom Pidcock, Ethan Hayter, Magnus Sheffield, and Carlos Rodriguez, he is part of an up-and-coming crop of talent.

Last week in Portugal, Pidcock and Hayter rode with the Ineos bus, but they could also rely on the guidance of Thomas, who has been racing with this team since Tourette was eight years old.

"I really enjoy the time I spend with Geraint, he's a great guy.

"For me, he's a great role model and someone I've always looked up to. Spending time with him is something very special for me personally. I really enjoy that and make the most of it."

Thomas took a relaxed approach to the role of pastor.

"I just set the example, I don't go and preach to them. But I'm not going to go preach to them.

"You forget how young they are. There is a lot of hype around Tom and he is seen as a big, mature, seasoned pro, but he is still super young."

While Thomas will be a key rider for the Ineos team at the Tour de France, Turret will make his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d'Italia.

His contemporaries Hayter and Pidcock are also expected to be part of the youthful selection.

"After the crash, I will skip Strade Bianche and focus on recovering and getting some good training in for the next Catalunya," said Tourette.

"The plan is to build up to the Giro. That's my priority at the moment and that's what I'm concentrating on."