Teams & Riders Thibaut Pinot discussion thread

[Krokro]

Re:

I still can't believe when I think of last year's ITT in Tour de Suisse when he couldn't keep up with Dumoulin, Thomas and Spilak and actually fell out of the podium despite being the race leader before the TT and having a pretty decent advantage. But in reality I always thought he was underrated as a TTer. Many thought of him as a bad TT rider but he was constantly between 10th and 20th position in the last few years. The problem was some GC riders were always better than him. So I thought he was still good and underrated. Until this year, when I started to believe he's become overrated. A lot of people talked about how he's developed in a great TT rider, but I thought to myself that's what I heard last year, too. So I wanted to see this big improvement first. After Pais-Vasco I wasn't convinced. I thought he did OK, but nothing special and still lost too much time to the best. But that ride yesterday convinced me. If he can constantly come out with these performances he'll be a contender for the win in every stage race he enters. Chapeau to him and to FDJ.

Earlier this year we have already seen, not 100% sure where exactly, an improvement in FDJ TT overall. I think they won a TTT on a stage race and had another great result that showed their more serious approach of TT. Maybe Vaughters sentence this winter about oldschool training of Rolland made FDJ think about it haha.

 

[Breh]

They won the TTT in La Mediterranee against a mediocre field. Their performance in the Tirreno ITT was the one everyone was so amazed about.

 

[Tonton]

I read on Velo101 that it wasn't until last year that riders at FDJ were given an ITT bike to keep at home, in addition to the ones that the team keeps. Thibaut, for example, is now training sometimes as many times as twice a week on his ITT bike.

 

[AlexNYC]

If FDJ and Pinot confirm their new TT prowess in other races this year, I would not be surprised to see TT heavy Tours in the next few years.

 

[Alexandre B.]

He gave his all. Quintana was clearly in control.

Huge result overall.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

He gave his all. Quintana was clearly in control.

Huge result overall.

Wasted a lot of energy coming back after that descent

 

[CheckMyPecs]

We've yet to see whether Thibaut's ITT improvement comes at the expense of losing some climbing power. Except in the Critérium International, where the level was abismally low, I haven't seen any standout performance by Pinot in the mountains this year.

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

Great performance by Pinot. He confirmed his progress in the TT and also reminded us that his team has gotten stronger and better able to protect him in a race like this. Whether he can ever dislodge Quintana in a mountaintop finish remains to be seen. But at least he's broken that string of fourth-placed finishes that was dogging him in short WT stage races.

 

[Tonton]

Best result ever in Pais Vasco and Romandie. Avenging last year's loss in Corsica. Attacking, slamming his fist on the table...The '16 vintage of Tibopino has legs, aroma, maybe not a Petrus but Nuits-St-Georges or Corton: a great Pinot, intense, bold, the real deal. GO THIBAUT!!!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Ofcourse it's still a question how he does in a 40km+ flat ITT with a similar field.

 

[rghysens]

Re:

Ofcourse it's still a question how he does in a 40km+ flat ITT with a similar field.

I guess we have to wait until next year to know that, as I don't see that many 40km+ flat ITT's this year. Maybe the WC itt and that's it.

 

[Krokro]

Re:

We've yet to see whether Thibaut's ITT improvement comes at the expense of losing some climbing power. Except in the Critérium International, where the level was abismally low, I haven't seen any standout performance by Pinot in the mountains this year.

Decent Algarve, more than decent Vasco and pretty nice Romandie ? It's not like he had no competition on those races. For sure I won't take Crit Int for example as there was no big serious contender.

 

[Tonton]

Solid Algarve, the only guy taking time back on Bertie on the second part of Malhao (watch Aru on the vid, his finish line move was Nacer/Zakarin BTW). Tirreno: Pinot was ahead of Nibali before the cancelled mountain stage that he had scouted to death. That was, by Thibaut's own admission, his first objective of the year. He could have won the whole thing.

Crit Int was sweet revenge . And for a change, he announced that he was going for blood. Put pressure on himself and delivered.

And now a best-ever in Romandie. With an ITT win over Dumoulin. Maybe not pan flat, maybe short, but win nonetheless.

And through it all, the kid is in l'Equipe today saying that he doesn't have the talent of the big names. Humble. And he keeps working his butt off, tries to prepare smarter. After a week rest, he'll be checking the TdF stages...he's more methodical, confident. Tibopino has grown so much since his misfortunes week one of last year's TdF. He didn't give up, fought through more bad luck (i.e. the fall/Allos), won, podiumed the GDL, and it's carrying over.

What worries me is that today l'Equipe makes him a TdF podium favorite, the circus is in full motion, and Thibaut doesn't like it. Who would? For the younger guys/gals here, check on Fons De Wolf. He was Merckx's successor. Huge talent. Won the GDL then MSR. Top-5 in the famous LBL '80. Better than Nibali. What happened?

I really hope that the pressure doesn't get to Thibaut. It did in '13. Irresponsible journos and dumb French "fans". Because the French are dumb: trust me, I'm one of them .

 

[Irondan]

I know I'm preaching to the choir in this thread but I just want to state for the record that Thibaut Pinot will push his way into the top tier of riders this year, on par with Chris Froome, Quintana, Contador, Valverde and Nibali.

 

[Jspear]

Re:

I know I'm preaching to the choir in this thread but I just want to state for the record that Thibaut Pinot will push his way into the top tier of riders this year, on par with Chris Froome, Quintana, Contador, Valverde and Nibali.

This year...not quite imo. Just shy of doing so. Next year? Sure thing.

 

[AlexNYC]

Hmm. I'll wait until he beats or comes close to beating one of the top 3 (I'm not including Nibali) before annointing him as a top tier rider. Although he was really good at Romandie, I never got the sense that he could've beaten Quintana there.

 

[Cannibal72]

Solid Algarve, the only guy taking time back on Bertie on the second part of Malhao (watch Aru on the vid, his finish line move was Nacer/Zakarin BTW). Tirreno: Pinot was ahead of Nibali before the cancelled mountain stage that he had scouted to death. That was, by Thibaut's own admission, his first objective of the year. He could have won the whole thing.

Crit Int was sweet revenge . And for a change, he announced that he was going for blood. Put pressure on himself and delivered.

And now a best-ever in Romandie. With an ITT win over Dumoulin. Maybe not pan flat, maybe short, but win nonetheless.

And through it all, the kid is in l'Equipe today saying that he doesn't have the talent of the big names. Humble. And he keeps working his butt off, tries to prepare smarter. After a week rest, he'll be checking the TdF stages...he's more methodical, confident. Tibopino has grown so much since his misfortunes week one of last year's TdF. He didn't give up, fought through more bad luck (i.e. the fall/Allos), won, podiumed the GDL, and it's carrying over.

What worries me is that today l'Equipe makes him a TdF podium favorite, the circus is in full motion, and Thibaut doesn't like it. Who would? For the younger guys/gals here, check on Fons De Wolf. He was Merckx's successor. Huge talent. Won the GDL then MSR. Top-5 in the famous LBL '80. Better than Nibali. What happened?

I really hope that the pressure doesn't get to Thibaut. It did in '13. Irresponsible journos and dumb French "fans". Because the French are dumb: trust me, I'm one of them .

Not just Fons De Wolf: literally every single person anointed as the next Merckx never lived up to their potential. Hell, even Maertens - whose palmares are pretty solid for a 'next Merckx' - never won a monument. Equally, however, Pinot seems so sensible and grounded (and also has a really good team around him now, I think, good support but not too much pressure) that I have hope he'll continue to improve this season.

 

[carolina]

I'm more interested in his battle with aru. The other guys are still out of reach, at least in the mountains.

 

[veji11]

To me Pinot has now reached 2007-2013 Cadel Evans level, ie he is very very good, he is there, he is never quite the favorite to win it and if all goes well for the few big bosses around, he probably does podium or top5/8.. BUT he is now there to pick a big success up if a Quintana, a Froome or other bigger gun isn't up to par on that important day.

That's how I see it, my bet is that Pinot will start declining in his earlyish 30s after having scored 4/6 GT podiums and a GT win or two.

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

Re:

To me Pinot has now reached 2007-2013 Cadel Evans level, ie he is very very good, he is there, he is never quite the favorite to win it and if all goes well for the few big bosses around, he probably does podium or top5/8.. BUT he is now there to pick a big success up if a Quintana, a Froome or other bigger gun isn't up to par on that important day.

That seems like a really smart analysis. Over the past few years Pinot has gradually built up for himself a really well-rounded skill-set. But he still doesn't have, and may never have, a killer finishing move: the ability to ride an Indurain time trial or launch a Contador uphill acceleration. If he wins big stage races it will be because his opponents have major chinks in their armor or cancel each other out. The fact that FDJ can now, apparently, do a decent TTT may prove decisive.

(For the record, the Evans comparison has long been how I explain TJVG. But it's starting to look as though he and Pinot may be in the same boat.)

 

[veji11]

Re: Re:

To me Pinot has now reached 2007-2013 Cadel Evans level, ie he is very very good, he is there, he is never quite the favorite to win it and if all goes well for the few big bosses around, he probably does podium or top5/8.. BUT he is now there to pick a big success up if a Quintana, a Froome or other bigger gun isn't up to par on that important day.

That seems like a really smart analysis. Over the past few years Pinot has gradually built up for himself a really well-rounded skill-set. But he still doesn't have, and may never have, a killer finishing move: the ability to ride an Indurain time trial or launch a Contador uphill acceleration. If he wins big stage races it will be because his opponents have major chinks in their armor or cancel each other out. The fact that FDJ can now, apparently, do a decent TTT may prove decisive.

(For the record, the Evans comparison has long been how I explain TJVG. But it's starting to look as though he and Pinot may be in the same boat.)

I think Pinot has a bit more "talent" than TVG. Talent is a strange word for cycling but I think he climbs a bit better and is more durable.. but overall I agree that for those guys the goal is probably somewhat similar : do your best getting those "marginal gains" to maximize what you can do and even if you are never probably the strongest guy in theory, the closer you are to him the better you can seize up you chance if it presents itself.

 

[yaco]

I am waiting for Pinot to ride the Giro in 2017 - Then he'll start to unlock his potential.

 

[lenric]

Re:

To me Pinot has now reached 2007-2013 Cadel Evans level, ie he is very very good, he is there, he is never quite the favorite to win it and if all goes well for the few big bosses around, he probably does podium or top5/8.. BUT he is now there to pick a big success up if a Quintana, a Froome or other bigger gun isn't up to par on that important day.

That's how I see it, my bet is that Pinot will start declining in his earlyish 30s after having scored 4/6 GT podiums and a GT win or two.

Lol, no.

 

[Tonton]

Re: Re:

To me Pinot has now reached 2007-2013 Cadel Evans level, ie he is very very good, he is there, he is never quite the favorite to win it and if all goes well for the few big bosses around, he probably does podium or top5/8.. BUT he is now there to pick a big success up if a Quintana, a Froome or other bigger gun isn't up to par on that important day.

That's how I see it, my bet is that Pinot will start declining in his earlyish 30s after having scored 4/6 GT podiums and a GT win or two.

Lol, no.

Elaborate please...Give your two cents...

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

To me Pinot has now reached 2007-2013 Cadel Evans level, ie he is very very good, he is there, he is never quite the favorite to win it and if all goes well for the few big bosses around, he probably does podium or top5/8.. BUT he is now there to pick a big success up if a Quintana, a Froome or other bigger gun isn't up to par on that important day.

That's how I see it, my bet is that Pinot will start declining in his earlyish 30s after having scored 4/6 GT podiums and a GT win or two.

Lol, no.

Elaborate please...Give your two cents...

Isn't it obvious?