The month of May is still well done. So many public holidays to enjoy the Giro, it’s blessed bread. Whole afternoons watching, with toes fanned out, the peloton suffering in the Dolomites, climbing the Swiss highlands or getting on the board in the three time trials, there is not much better thing. Finally, if: to see Thibaut Pinot, nodding, putting all these beautiful people to the fine.
Before ending his career at the end of the season, our national TP, the only one, the only one, wanted to participate one last time in the Tour of Italy. “It was unimaginable to do my last season without the Grand Tour that I prefer,” said the Groupama-FDJ climber at a press conference. It is only my third participation, and it is a great regret in my career not to have done it several times and earlier. I hope to catch up this year, because on my first two participations, I still have great memories. »
So, for this last participation, we expect the Franc-Comtois to fill the memory box to the brim. We want flights, stage victories, a good general classification, Evenepoel and Roglic who dub the master in front of the Colosseum. In short, we want emotions. So, to tell you how Thibaut Pinot will make us vibrate, we invited Pierre Rolland, attack master today consultant for The L’Equipe chain, and Anthony Roux, former teammate of the Melisey goat breeder.
The chrono and the first rather quiet week
The task will be difficult for Thibaut Pinot during this Giro, especially with 73 km of time trial, with big rider-climbers like Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic. It starts this Saturday, in introduction, with 19.6 km of chrono in Abruzzo, on an almost flat road. Not necessarily the cam of our TiboPino.
Anthony Roux’s opinion: “Thibaut knows he won’t win this time. But the advantage is that there is Stefan Küng in the team, who is there to get this first pink jersey. Finally, Thibaut will be in Stefan’s dynamic, and that will perhaps help him achieve this first time, because, within the team, we have someone who will play for the win. And then, Thibaut is doing very well in the time trial this year, with very decent times. On 19 km, no stress. »
After this inaugural time, the first week of racing will be rather light, rather reserved for sprinters and adventurers, even if we hope for a lyrical flight from the Frenchman at Lago Lacena, Tuesday, or at Campo Imperatore, Friday, with a very long climb (26 .4 km, of which the last four at more than 8%). Ideal for recovering lost time on the clock and getting the country to get up?
Pierre Rolland’s opinion: “It’s complicated, a rider like Thibaut won’t have a good exit, unless he really loses a lot of time. He will be very watched, I find it hard to believe that he takes time before the last week. If he is still in ambush in the general classification, he will remain with the big leaders. He might be able to anticipate the finale [sur le Campo Imperatore], but it is not in his habits. »
» A second crescendo week
After a new time of 35 km which leads to Cesena on May 14, where the leader of Groupama-FDJ should lose very big seconds on the favorites for the final victory, the Tour of Italy will start to get tougher for those who do not like the altitude. The 13th stage, on May 19, with nearly 5,000 meters of elevation gain and a finish in Crans Montana will thus be a first trial run for the great leaders. We can imagine Thibaut Pinot standing up to everyone and arriving with Evenepoel and Roglic for the stage victory.
Anthony Roux’s opinion: “The big advantage he has is that this is his last Giro. So it is the Tour that he will approach as positively as possible. He takes things as they come and enjoys every race day 100%. He knows he’s going strong, and I think we’re going to see some great Pinot. Afterwards, it is sure that there will be more complicated stages for him. The general will come naturally if things go well. »
Pierre Rolland’s opinion: “The Giro is a race where you can reach 90, 95%, with a reserve of form, and tell yourself that you will continue to progress and sharpen up on flat or intermediate stages, because the last week is terrible in the mountains. »
» The Third Week, Dante’s Inferno
Sensitive souls refrain. The third week of this Giro will be a real ordeal for sprinters or those who don’t have the legs. Just after the second day of rest, the riders chain the passes during the 16th stage, to finish at Monte Bondone (21.4 km at 6.7%, with passages at 15%). We’re betting big on this stage: Thibaut Pinot will raise his arms at the finish and make his return to the top 5 overall.
Pierre Rolland’s opinion: “On paper, Evenepoel and Roglic are really the two strongest. His objective for Thibaut must be to stay as long as possible with Evenepoel and Roglic and be able to attack them at the very end. »
Three days later, the riders will also have a huge piece to stuff in the Dolomites. Five passes on the program and the Tre Troci-Tre Cime sequence to finish, with the last four kilometers at around 12% on average.
Anthony Roux’s opinion: “A third week is not given to everyone, but Thibaut has what it takes and is looking forward to this third week. He performs over the days, he will be able to let go of the horses. If it goes well, that’s where he’ll have fun. If health is there, it will be there every day. »
And it’s not over. The organizers of the Giro d’Italia decided that, no, it was not enough, and added a time trial the day before the arrival in Rome. And not just any time: 18.6 km with, to finish, 7.3 km at 12.1%. We don’t know in what state Pinot will arrive, but let’s not forget the time trial of the Planche des Belles-Filles, in 2020, where Pogacar had overthrown Roglic. The same scenario cannot be ruled out.
Pierre Rolland’s opinion: “Clearly, you must not have bad legs that day, otherwise, it can be counted in minutes. It upsets the whole hierarchy. Even me, I was 4th in a time trial uphill on the Giro. For a climber like Thibaut, a time like that is clearly an advantage. I see him on the podium overall, behind Evenepoel and Roglic. »