Teams & Riders Thibaut Pinot discussion thread

[PremierAndrew]

For a guy who was touted as a podium contender by French media, that performance was a joke. But to say Pinot himself is a joke is ridiculous. He's had a decent season so far and remains one of the stage racers with the most potential, even if, after today, it appears that Bardet and Latour (and possibly Ala, but let's see how he fares on the super tough climbs like Arcalis and Ventoux. Easier mountains suit him more) are going to be better stage racers than Pinot.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Mental burnout or collapse? What does that even mean? No, the only excuse is sickness.

 

[Matteo.]

Re:

Mental collapse most likely.

Mental? He was sweating like a fountain : he was cracked , perhaps because of the heat or he wasn't fed well

 

[portugal11]

Re:

For a guy who was touted as a podium contender by French media, that performance was a joke. But to say Pinot himself is a joke is ridiculous. He's had a decent season so far and remains one of the stage racers with the most potential, even if, after today, it appears that Bardet and Latour (and possibly Ala, but let's see how he fares on the super tough climbs like Arcalis and Ventoux. Easier mountains suit him more) are going to be better stage racers than Pinot.

People have talked the same about porte. Great results in one week races but in gt's they fail big time.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

He looked terrible when he was getting dropped. Probably coming down with something

It must have been really sudden. FDJ were pulling at the front just before he got dropped.

Or they tried to go as fast as comfortable to discourage attacks and hide what was going on.

It was a tremendous miscalculation, if so.

Maybe a hunger knock? On stage 5 he was searching for a gel/energy bar with just 5km to go, it looked rather odd.
Its a bit like Nibali on PSM last year and inot has already shown that he's able to fight back, his Tour isn't over yet.

 

[carton]

Many otherwise excellent riders over the years have sucked in the heat/cold/wet or are prone to hunger knocks. It's just a physical thing. And for except the last one, which can be managed by careful nutrition and/or a timely 15 second penalty, not much can be done about it. On the flip side, few of those riders end up winning Grand Tours. C'est la vie.

I hate to see it happen to Pinot, who for all of the hype about the French Renaissance is the only one who I (still) think could actually win it someday.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

For a guy who was touted as a podium contender by French media, that performance was a joke. But to say Pinot himself is a joke is ridiculous. He's had a decent season so far and remains one of the stage racers with the most potential, even if, after today, it appears that Bardet and Latour (and possibly Ala, but let's see how he fares on the super tough climbs like Arcalis and Ventoux. Easier mountains suit him more) are going to be better stage racers than Pinot.

It's not the fault of Pinot that the French media have expectations that are too high

 

[hrotha]

Re: Re:

Mental collapse most likely.

Mental? He was sweating like a fountain

A link between the two is within the realm of possibility. Anxiety can do that to you.

 

[Tonton]

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed.

Considering that some very average climbers remained in the contenders' group, where he belongs, obviously he was off. So what went wrong? His program wasn't that much different this year, so I doubt that it has to do with peaking wrong. Although it looks like it. He wasn't in shape at the Dauphine, then his CdF were good. What is going on?

I won't respond to the vultures, who,for whatever reason pile up on him right now. He's won enough to show that he's not a joke. I hope it's just a day off. But to crack on such an "easy"climb, to finish behind Pozzo (which never happens to Thibaut), something's not right.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Pinot says he is not sick but simply not in form. Same shape as Dauphine. I wonder how it is possible to be so far off top form when your season is shaped around this.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Even Contador, who's all screwed up, could be with the group.
Pinot's goal is to be a top-5 Tour GT rider, not a top-3 one week race rider. Take your own conclusions and keep them to yourself, because that's all they are: opinions. Everyone is entitled to have theirs.

Ok so what if the reason is because he's mentally weak. Does that make him a joke?
It's not like he can help it. Usually it's something your born with or grown up with. Everybody is different, but I guess your more someone for only the strong shall survive

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

So everyone's entitled to their opinion, but we should keep ours to ourselves, and riders who fall short of their most ambitious goals are jokes. K.

Seconded.

Everyone is entitled to express their opinion, as long as it's civil.

 

[lenric]

Re: Re:

Even Contador, who's all screwed up, could be with the group.
Pinot's goal is to be a top-5 Tour GT rider, not a top-3 one week race rider. Take your own conclusions and keep them to yourself, because that's all they are: opinions. Everyone is entitled to have theirs.

Ok so what if the reason is because he's mentally weak. Does that make him a joke?
It's not like he can help it. Usually it's something your born with or grown up with. Everybody is different, but I guess your more someone for only the strong shall survive

In life you have 2 options: be good or get good. Giving up is not an option.
Pinot admitted that he didn't have the legs (according to what was posted in this forum) and not having them at today's stage is simply not admissible.

About my last post, which wasn't 100% clear (my mistake), everyone's entitled to their opinion. However, if that same opinion is stating that another one is plain wrong, because the subject we're talking about is all but subjective, then yes, keep it to yourself.

 

[Oliwright]

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed.

Considering that some very average climbers remained in the contenders' group, where he belongs, obviously he was off. So what went wrong? His program wasn't that much different this year, so I doubt that it has to do with peaking wrong. Although it looks like it. He wasn't in shape at the Dauphine, then his CdF were good. What is going on?

I won't respond to the vultures, who,for whatever reason pile up on him right now. He's won enough to show that he's not a joke. I hope it's just a day off. But to crack on such an "easy"climb, to finish behind Pozzo (which never happens to Thibaut), something's not right.

i feel for you ton ton!

 

[Tonton]

Agree. Yes, we can all have different opinions: that's why forums exist, right? And courtesy is a must. And respect as well. I don't find healthy to pounce on Porte when bad luck hits him, and didn't feel the need to be sarcastic when TJVG's dreams of a podium were shattered last year. Or when Contador takes a tumble.

Let's see what tomorrow brings and if form will build up. Right now, and he's candid about it, he's not in peak form. He'd better get there quick.

For me and his fans, all hope is not lost. But today was a massive blow.

 

[Tonton]

i feel for you ton ton!

Thanks . It's a rough day for sure.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

Pinot says he is not sick but simply not in form. Same shape as Dauphine. I wonder how it is possible to be so far off top form when your season is shaped around this.

Yeh it's possible not to have peak form, but then you don't get dropped when 50 riders finish together. That's like the form you have in November.....

 

[Kwibus]

Agree. Yes, we can all have different opinions: that's why forums exist, right? And courtesy is a must. And respect as well. I don't find healthy to pounce on Porte when bad luck hits him, and didn't feel the need to be sarcastic when TJVG's dreams of a podium were shattered last year. Or when Contador takes a tumble.

100% Agreed.

 

[manolo57]

I agree I don't understand how he can be not in form. At the dauphine I can understand because he didn't ride during one month, but he did good national championships so he should be better each day. I think the problem is more mental, and that's not really a surprise. The 2 times Pinot did a good ride at the Tour in 2012 and 2014, he came without any pressure from the team, and when he had some pressure, in 2013 and 2015, he screwed up. He doesn't like the Tour and has said it in interview. He should do the Giro every year, this race suits him. But the sponsor will want him to do the Tour, it's a quiet complicated situation...

 

[postmanhat]

From the brief camera shots, he did look fairly terrible today. Pale, and almost cartoon levels of sweat pouring off him.

On the plus side, it's time to unleash the Reichenbach!

 

[Sciocco]

He chose to renew even more with a French team so... he's chosen to remain mediocre. Simply not a winner.

 

[Tonton]

Re:

He chose to renew even more with a French team so... he's chosen to remain mediocre. Simply not a winner.

I don't know what you do for a living. I hope that you have accomplished in your field as much as he has in cycling. TdF podium + 2 stages, TdR 2 stages, TdS 1 stage, Dauphine 1 stage, top-10 Vuelta, podium GDL, among other results. That's a winner in my book .

I don't blame you: people from Philly can never tell winners from losers: every year they think the Eagles are going to win the Superbowl...

 

[Sciocco]

Re: Re:

He chose to renew even more with a French team so... he's chosen to remain mediocre. Simply not a winner.

I don't know what you do for a living. I hope that you have accomplished in your field as much as he has in cycling. TdF podium + 2 stages, TdR 2 stages, TdS 1 stage, Dauphine 1 stage, top-10 Vuelta, podium GDL, among other results. That's a winner in my book .

People from Philly can never tell winners from losers: see 76ers, Eagles...

Nothing in comparison to a professional athlete. Doesn't change what is an easy observation.

In comparison with the possibly unfair expectations placed upon him as the next great French GC rider. His commitment to a French team shows he's not willing to go for the other GTs which are possibly crucial in building up to that top level. I don't dislike Pinot either, he just seems to lack that tiny bit that could push him to real contention. A Giro or Vuelta where he wins or contends into the final stages for the win would be enough I think. He should've signed with some International team.

I don't follow either of those teams as both sports are so boring but Philly is a championship starved city. Phillies won 8 years ago, Nova was this spring, those weren't bad.

 

[fantomas]

The heat might've gotten to him, I guess. That's not really his kind of weather. Poor lad. I really like him.

 

[The Barb]

Re:

He chose to renew even more with a French team so... he's chosen to remain mediocre. Simply not a winner.

God how I hate these kind of comments. Not fair, not kind, not true. The guy is in the top 1% of the top 1% in an ultra competitive endeavour. One can scarcely be further from "mediocre".