Geraint Thomas is confident he will be in Grand Tour-winning condition by the time the Tour de France comes around.

Welshman Thomas reached the finish line in the yellow jersey in July, denying Team Sky colleague Chris Froome a fourth straight title and a record-equalling fifth win.

The 32-year-old has spent much of the off-season on promotional duties for the organisers of the Tour and his new book.

However, he is confident he will be in shape and have a chance of becoming only the 10th rider to successfully defend their first Tour title.

"It's the most time I've had off the bike, so I won't start next year all guns blazing, but I wanted to enjoy it because it doesn't happen every day," Thomas told Cycling Weekly.

"I've certainly enjoyed it. Dave [Brailsford, Team Sky team principal] has been on to me, 'Don't get too big, try to keep ticking over.'

"That's the hardest thing: just maintaining fitness. I'm sure it will come back. I can feel myself growing - sideways. Now I'm just keen to get back in to it, I've had enough of all this.

"I think I can get in that [Tour-winning] shape again but every Grand Tour is different. You never know, [Primoz] Roglic or [Tom] Dumoulin might improve more than me next year and Froomey will be different again if he's going for the one [Grand Tour], and not two.

"But I can definitely get to that level again. It just depends what everyone else is like."