Thibaut Pinot doubts whether he still wants to participate in the Tour de France as a leader. The Groupama-FDJ rider lost more than eighteen minutes to the other favorites for the overall victory on Saturday in the eighth stage and can again forget a good classification.
Thirty-year-old Pinot has been one of the contenders for the Tour victory for years. In 2012 he finished tenth and in 2014 even third, but the past editions have always ended in disappointment.
In 2016 and 2017, Pinot did not make it to Paris and after a year of absence it also went wrong last year. The Frenchman had moved up to fifth place in the general classification, but had to get off in the nineteenth stage due to an injury. A good classification is also out of the question this year.
“Today is perhaps a turning point in my career”, Pinot referred to various French media on Saturday at the leader in the Tour de France. “This race has already given me too many disappointments. I want to have fun on the bike again and win races.”
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Thibaut Pinot can forget a new top classification in the Tour. (Photo: Getty Images)
Pinot went down hard in the first stage
Pinot already started the Tour de France with back problems and crashed hard in the opening stage. The Frenchman was still in good shape in the standings until Saturday, but had to release early in the first Pyrenees stage and crossed the line at 25.23 minutes from stage winner Nans Peters.
“My back hurts a lot. I have no strength and I can’t turn around”, said a visibly agitated Pinot. “I thought about getting off, but I’m still here. It was a difficult day. I want to apologize to everyone, to the team and to my supporters. This is a big disappointment.”
Pinot wants to go all out for daytime success with his Groupama-FDJ team. “This Tour will continue. The team is strong so I hope the boys will go for stage victories. They deserve that.”
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