After you sort out the thumb pain, check your bike fit. If you are leaning too much on the handlebars, it could be that you need some adjustments --- a professional fitter can help. Gloves are always a good idea to protect your hands, not just from some road vibrations, but also in case you fall. You will end up with another tan line, but it's better than to lose skin from your hands. As for a more cushy bar tape, Lizard Skins DSP tape was recommended to me. I have not used it yet.