Thibaut Pinot was born in Melisey (France) the May 29 of 1990. A successful career in juniors. Won the hardest race of amateur category (Giro of Valle D'Aosta) with 19 years. The youngest winner of the history. Arrived at the professionalism with Française Des Jeux in 2010. In his first year as a professional cyclist he won the mountain classification of the Tour of Romandie, also shone in a breakway and finished 20th in a race of the standing of Dauphiné Liberé.
2011 meant the year of his takeoff: third in the final GC of the Tour of Turkey, second in the final GC of the Rhône-Alpes Isère Tour, shown his talent one more time in Dauphiné Liberé. One of the best climbers in the mountain stage of Saint Pierre de Chartreuse. In the breakway at the Toussuire stage, the chasing group where was Thibaut was caught by the favourites group, Van Den Broeck and Vinokourov tried some attacks. Finally Joaquim Rodríguez attacked with one kilometer to go and only Thibaut, who came from the breakway, could respond. Surprise. He finished second that stage. After him riders like Robert Gesink, Jùrgen Van Den Broeck or Cadel Evans. We were before a classy climber.
Won the Tour of Alsace with an exhibition in the queen stage. Two stages win in the Tour of L'Ain, one of them with final in the Grand Colombier. Beat Moncoutié and two of the best young climbers of the peloton, Poels and Rolland. Third in the Tre Valli Varesine. Then he achieved a victory in the Settimana Lombarda stage of Presolana attacking in the final ascent with few kilometres to go and beating guys like Pozzovivo or Rebellin. He also was 1st in the final GC.
In this 2012 with 22 years he has become the youngest rider which finish in the top ten of the TDF since Raymond Impanis in 1947, who was then 21 years old. Also he broke the precociousness record of Sagan with the amazing stage victory of Porrentruy. After the TDF another exhibition in L'Ain attacking from 30kms to the finish. Champion mentality, courage, maturity, talent. Has the french people found the new Laurent Fignon?