Teams & Riders Thibaut Pinot discussion thread

[Robert5091]

Re:

Pinot's problem is the team, if he was at Astana he would be the number one favorite for the Giro.

Chapeau Pinot! FDJ need to follow AG2R's tactics at TdF last year and be super aggressive at the Giro when it gets lumpy. He won't win sitting with the Sky train.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

Pinot's problem is the team, if he was at Astana he would be the number one favorite for the Giro.

Chapeau Pinot! FDJ need to follow AG2R's tactics at TdF last year and be super aggressive at the Giro when it gets lumpy. He won't win sitting with the Sky train.

I felt that Sky Train is weaker than before.

 

[Zama_Olyas]

Re: Re:

Pinot's problem is the team, if he was at Astana he would be the number one favorite for the Giro.

Chapeau Pinot! FDJ need to follow AG2R's tactics at TdF last year and be super aggressive at the Giro when it gets lumpy. He won't win sitting with the Sky train.

I felt that Sky Train is weaker than before.

Come Il Giro i think they will be monstrous as they usually are.

 

[Tonton]

The legions of Pinot fans around the World have been waiting for this day. Il Giro 2018 is about to begin.

Before it even starts, here's my chart for my post in three and a half weeks: in the "Rate the 2018 Giro" thread:

1 Point: Pinot>Aru. It's been out there for a long time. Now is the time to settle the issue.
1 Point: Tibopino wears the pink jersey. I need a temporary change of avatar .
1 Point: Thibaut wins a stage.
1 Point: Il Grandissimo wins more than one stage.
1 Point: Thinard Pinault triumphs atop Zoncolan.
1 Point: Froome doesn't win Il Giro.
5 Points: TP is on the final podium.
10 Points: Thibaut Pinot gagne le Tour d'Italie! Victory! Prosecco time !!! I will over-indulge, I swear...

Just because Netserk will read it and the 8 rule (although it has exceptions) remains the rule, podium, Froome doesn't win, and Pinot>Aru would make a great 8. Add a stage, please...OK, I'm starting t be greedy .

As the official Tibopino fanboy in the forum, no doubt that if things don't go well, I will be devastated. But I trust Thibaut to perform well on a course that suits him, with the post-Alps confidence that he must feel, against a very strong field. As long as he has no bad luck, Il Grandissimo Tibopino will be a factor, he will give Froome and Dumoulin a run for their money and hopefully more.

 

[Koronin]

Hope you don't mind if I jump on the Pinot bandwagon for the Giro. Of the GC guys here he's definitely my favorite.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Hope you don't mind if I jump on the Pinot bandwagon for the Giro. Of the GC guys here he's definitely my favorite.

Awesome!!!

 

[SHAD0W93]

Considering Kreuziger isn't riding for himself, Pinot is my sexpnd favorite rider that is ridong for GC so hopefully he can do well and surprise.

If he wins that should for now settle the Pinot vs Aru and Bardet arguments.

Is he racing 2 GT's this year?

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Considering Kreuziger isn't riding for himself, Pinot is my sexpnd favorite rider that is ridong for GC so hopefully he can do well and surprise.

If he wins that should for now settle the Pinot vs Aru and Bardet arguments.

Is he racing 2 GT's this year?

Also doing the Tour, cause of sponsor reasons.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Considering Kreuziger isn't riding for himself, Pinot is my sexpnd favorite rider that is ridong for GC so hopefully he can do well and surprise.

If he wins that should for now settle the Pinot vs Aru and Bardet arguments.

Is he racing 2 GT's this year?

Yes the TdF, which absolutely sucks, and doesn't make any sense. It looks like it was the bargain for Pinot: do Il Giro but you have to race the TdF. Dumb. We saw what happened last year. And even with fewer miles, this Giro will take such a toll that I don't see him, or Froome, Dumoulin for that matter be competitive in July. Ask Quintana...

I hope that Pinot gets sick after the Giro, races the Vuelta instead. These things happen .

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

Considering Kreuziger isn't riding for himself, Pinot is my sexpnd favorite rider that is ridong for GC so hopefully he can do well and surprise.

If he wins that should for now settle the Pinot vs Aru and Bardet arguments.

Is he racing 2 GT's this year?

Yes the TdF, which absolutely sucks, and doesn't make any sense. It looks like it was the bargain for Pinot: do Il Giro but you have to race the TdF. Dumb. We saw what happened last year. And even with fewer miles, this Giro will take such a toll that I don't see him, or Froome, Dumoulin for that matter be competitive in July. Ask Quintana...

I hope that Pinot gets sick after the Giro, races the Vuelta instead. These things happen .

Get that TUE for not riding Tour

 

[Alexandre B.]

I guess his display was kinda okay. If the podium is his main goal, that is.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I guess his display was kinda okay. If the podium is his main goal, that is.

About as expected, not a bad ride.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

Considering Kreuziger isn't riding for himself, Pinot is my sexpnd favorite rider that is ridong for GC so hopefully he can do well and surprise.

If he wins that should for now settle the Pinot vs Aru and Bardet arguments.

Is he racing 2 GT's this year?

Yes the TdF, which absolutely sucks, and doesn't make any sense. It looks like it was the bargain for Pinot: do Il Giro but you have to race the TdF. Dumb. We saw what happened last year. And even with fewer miles, this Giro will take such a toll that I don't see him, or Froome, Dumoulin for that matter be competitive in July. Ask Quintana...

I hope that Pinot gets sick after the Giro, races the Vuelta instead. These things happen .

True Quintana's attempt was a disaster. However, my guess is they are more likely looking at what Contador and Valverde did in their double attempts. (Although wouldn't be shocked if Pinot chooses to go after the KOM at the Tour. Esp considering how much trouble he had with the cobbled stage a couple years ago, even though part of that was just bad luck.) 1st and 5th for Contador and 3rd and 6th for Valverde in their mid 30's sound a whole lot more likely to make other GC riders think they have a shot at it instead of Quintana's 2nd and 12th even though he's younger. I don't think Dumoulin is headed to the Tour. Thought he was doing the Giro/Vuelta double.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

I guess his display was kinda okay. If the podium is his main goal, that is.

He wasn't completely happy with the performance. That’s a good mindset I guess. He knows every second counts. He isn’t here for just a podium.

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

Considering Kreuziger isn't riding for himself, Pinot is my sexpnd favorite rider that is ridong for GC so hopefully he can do well and surprise.

If he wins that should for now settle the Pinot vs Aru and Bardet arguments.

Is he racing 2 GT's this year?

Yes the TdF, which absolutely sucks, and doesn't make any sense. It looks like it was the bargain for Pinot: do Il Giro but you have to race the TdF. Dumb. We saw what happened last year. And even with fewer miles, this Giro will take such a toll that I don't see him, or Froome, Dumoulin for that matter be competitive in July. Ask Quintana...

I hope that Pinot gets sick after the Giro, races the Vuelta instead. These things happen .

True Quintana's attempt was a disaster. However, my guess is they are more likely looking at what Contador and Valverde did in their double attempts. (Although wouldn't be shocked if Pinot chooses to go after the KOM at the Tour. Esp considering how much trouble he had with the cobbled stage a couple years ago, even though part of that was just bad luck.) 1st and 5th for Contador and 3rd and 6th for Valverde in their mid 30's sound a whole lot more likely to make other GC riders think they have a shot at it instead of Quintana's 2nd and 12th even though he's younger. I don't think Dumoulin is headed to the Tour. Thought he was doing the Giro/Vuelta double.

The plan is for him to ride the Tour

 

[Tonton]

The Good: time taken on most, including Froome (big surprise, the crash of course had to do with it - but still). Thibaut not too happy, having bigger expectations for himself, yeah, I like that mindset.

The Bad: losing 3"+/km to Dumoulin. Wayyyy too much. For what it's worth, I would have thought 2.

The Ugly: nothing, really.

All in all, unlike others, he leaves stage one unscathed, 16th overall, ahead of most of his rivals, except Eddico Merckxovivo and Dumourain, who smacked everybody, reminding all that he's the defending champion.

Not bad at all.

 

[Tonton]

4 down and 16 to go (the last day should be a Prosecco, hugs day), and Tibopino a.k.a. Il Grandissimo sits at 8th in the GC.

Week 1 traditionally is the enemy, and so far so good. Although the hopes of beating Dumourain are not looking that good, Thibaut has Yates and Pozzo in sight, behind by a few seconds, but he's ahead of the rest of the contenders for a podium spot, taking time on some of them today, a murito finish that would have killed him a couple of years ago.

Half a minute on Froome is a surprise. A good one...but to be safe, in case the Dawg reverts back to his old form, Thibaut needs another minute or slightly more. It's still early. This Giro will be crazy.

 

[skippo12]

I expected a little bit more from him. Uphill sprints are normally one of his biggest strengths compared to other GC riders but on the other hand he finished with the favorites...so everything is fine.

 

[Tonton]

I expected a little bit more from him. Uphill sprints are normally one of his biggest strengths compared to other GC riders but on the other hand he finished with the favorites...so everything is fine.

Same here. I thought that Thibaut could top-3, gain a bonus seconds and hopefully a little more. But watching the vids, his positioning wasn't good before the kick, he hustled. And in the meantime, Froome and Aru lose time. Not bad.

BTW I drove back home today, and a FDJ rider was on the trail. Honked. Fists up.

16 to 8. After the Etna (I hope that Pinot and Pozzo team-up) we'll have a clearer picture. I'm starting to like this course more and more, regardless of the outcome. But they have to kill TD.

 

[Koronin]

I'll take him picking up time however he can get it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I didn't expect Tibo to gain time yesterday, while he is fast in a sprint he is not a proper puncheur so it's not surprising he got "out-punched". If he was positioned better maybe he could have gained a couple seconds, but I think he can be happy with no time loss to Dumo etc. and time gain on Superman and Froome.

 

[SafeBet]

He's going exactly as I thought: solid, maybe a bit under the radar.
I expect him to get better as the Giro goes on. If he doesn't bleed time in these nervous stages he'll be fine.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Madiot just announced on TV that Pinot will only race one Grand Tour in 2019: Le Tour de France.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

Madiot just announced on TV that Pinot will only race one Grand Tour in 2019: Le Tour de France.

So it's official. It was evoked in a pre-Giro TP interview. Maybe Madiot should wait and see the route before making such a decision. On the other hand, Thibaut his entering his prime, Le Tour has to be the focus at some point.

He looked good today in the final 1.5 km. With 11 stages left, at 4 seconds per day, he can win this .

 

[Alexandre B.]

A good week chasing bonis. He took 26" off Dumoulin (which is obviously not enough in the grand scheme of things). Froome, Aru and Lopez are already way behind.

Now, time to solve the Mitchelton-Scott puzzle.