Thibaut Pinot discussion thread

[LaFlorecita]

I only just saw the results, so happy Tibo won. Now onto Lombardia

 

[movingtarget]

Pinot finishing the season on a high.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

Good win today and I'm torn because I want Kreuziger, Valverde, or Pinot to win Lombardi. Valverde would have to be gone for Pinot to win and if he does I think that will put him Bove Bardet for now.

Speaking of Bardet, is his and Pinot rivalry more civil than Demare and Bouhani?

I have seen no evidence that there is any hostility between the two beyond the obvious rivalry involved in being the two best French GC riders and the leaders of the two biggest French teams. Their rivalry appears more or less cordial.

They are less often in direct competition than you might expect. Bardet’s top target is the Tour and his second target is the Tour and his third target is the Tour. It’s more or less the Tour all the way down for him, until you get to the Dauphine in about tenth spot. Pinot has a very different approach to the season and, not coincidentally, a better palmares. This year, when he exploded during the Giro, he has added Milano-Torino, Trentino (or the Alps or whatever) and two GT stages. He may or may not ever find the ability to put his best climbing and best TTing together for three weeks, but whether he does or not he has already become a fine rider and very successful one.

 

[Koronin]

Nice win for Pinot.

 

[SafeBet]

Great win for Tibopino. FDJ looks very strong and should be aggressive on Saturday.

 

[yaco]

The advantage Pinot has in GT's is that depending on his form he can ride for GC or go stage-hunting - And he has the ability to win a stage from the leader's group.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

The advantage Pinot has in GT's is that depending on his form he can ride for GC or go stage-hunting - And he has the ability to win a stage from the leader's group.

Form doesn't seem to make much difference to his GT results. With his inferior TT and lack of being a super climber where he can can claw back time regularly, it's hard to see him winning a GT and he's not going to be allowed to go in a break unless he has lost a lot of time. He looks much more convincing as a stage hunter where he's not under pressure every day to hold or elevate his GC position. One of those riders that can look really good for 16 days or so then he starts to suffer more or becomes ill. The fact that he made the Tour podium in 2014 is a bit misleading because everyone was riding for second place that year. Nibali was just riding away whenever he felt like it. And the fact that Peraud also finished on the podium is food for thought......I think he could possibly podium a GT again but I'm not convinced he will win one but of course I never expected Thomas to win one either.........he reminds me a little of a more talented version of a young Kreuziger but a better sprinter. The hilly classics and one week stage races are good for him. Rui Costa and Spilak wised up about their GC possibilities in grand tours. Porte is another one who may have wasted his best years targeting the wrong races. Such is hindsight.

 

[Alexandre B.]

THE BIG ONE

THE WIN OF HIS DREAMS

YEEEEEEES

TIBO! TIBO!

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yes Yes Yes!!! I'm choking up, Chapeau Tibo!!
So bummed I could not watch, sounds like I missed a great race

 

[Red Rick]

Fantastic bike rider.

 

[Matteo.]

where is tonton? i imagine how happy he is at last

 

[Red Rick]

TONTON WHERE ARE YOU

 

[LaFlorecita]

Tonton is probably uncorking his 2nd bottle of champagne right now.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Pinot really, really, should ride the Ardennes.

 

[Rollthedice]

Grande Tibo! Big congrats and where is Tonton?

 

[LeChuck]

What a ride, what a rider! So happy for him

 

[GuyIncognito]

Re:

Grande Tibo! Big congrats and where is Tonton?

Cleaning the walls

 

[Gigs_98]

Not only a great race but one hell of a last part of a season in general. Two vuelta stages, a semi classic and to top it off a monument. Chapeau to one of the peloton's most likable riders.

 

[Red Rick]

https://twitter.com/ThibautPinot/status/1050780782787264512

From yesterday

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Not only a great race but one hell of a last part of a season in general. Two vuelta stages, a semi classic and to top it off a monument. Chapeau to one of the peloton's most likable riders.

Yes, he completely transformed his palmares in three months. They weren’t bad before, but now he is in a higher tier of riders.

The best palmares now of any active French rider.

 

[Tonton]

What a race, what a ride, what a win, what a Champion! I'm a nervous wreck right now. I knew that he could do it, I felt that the Muraut di Sormanot could be the beginning of something big, but in my wildest dreams I didn't dare imagining this display of class, aggression, and skills. Wow! Bravo Tibopino!

 

[skippo12]

That was his once in a life time opportunity to add a big win to his palmares. Congrats...he clearly was the strongest today.

 

[Red Rick]

What a race, what a ride, what a win, what a Champion! I'm a nervous wreck right now. I knew that he could do it, I felt that the Muraut di Sormanot could be the beginning of something big, but in my wildest dreams I didn't dare imagining this display of class, aggression, and skills. Wow! Bravo Tibopino!

HE MADE IT

HE'S HERE

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Well done! I really like Pinot when he rides like this. Hopefully he'll target more one day-races next year.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Well done! I really like Pinot when he rides like this. Hopefully he'll target more one day-races next year.

Honestly I don't think the Ardennes are hard enough for the kind of racing we're seeing. They're hard enough for climbers to be up there, but not hard enough to make the difference.