Geraint Thomas was scheduled to compete in this week's Volta ao Algarve, but the Welshman missed the rainy portimão on Wednesday morning, opting instead to extend his training camp in the US.

The main reason was illness; Thomas had a mild infection before the Tour Down Under last month and repeated the same problem shortly thereafter.

Thomas will make his European debut at the Tirreno Adriatico in early March, and the Volta a Catalunya will likely be added to his schedule to increase his race volume for the Giro d'Italia.

"Gelant will be fine. He's in a good rhythm and routine, so we just decided to keep it going for now," Rod Ellingworth, deputy team principal of Ineos Grenadiers, told Cycling News.

Thomas arrived in Los Angeles, California, where he has been training with teammate and triathlete Cameron Wolfe, after a 10-day stay in New Zealand.

Thomas has now decided to extend his stay in the U.S. by just under a week and return to his home in Monaco before the start of the Tirreno Adriatico on March 6.

"He's fine, he was just a little bit sick before TDU, he competed in TDU and was fine, then a little bit of the same again," Ellingworth explained.

"I didn't feel sick, but something was wrong. Now I'm totally fine. He's doing a great job in LA with Cam, who is kind of his sparring partner.

The change in plans will also affect Thomas' racing calendar. Tirreno Adriatico will remain, but the Catalunya Volta is now more likely than the Settimana Coppi e Bartali in late March.

The Volta, which runs seven stages, two stages longer and with a heavier parcours, will give more of the intensity of racing that is missed in the Algarve.

"Tirreno will be his first race. Tirreno and Coppi Bartali were always part of the plan, but he may go to Catalunya."

Thomas will lead the Giro d'Italia in May as a rider for Ineos Grenadiers after finishing on the podium at last year's Tour de France.

"I'm not thinking about the Giro at the moment. I'm not thinking about the Giro at the moment," Ellingworth said.