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Teams & Riders Thibaut Pinot discussion thread

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...well, the answer may be on the Groupama-FDJ website, citing how Tibopino was stressed out at the perspective of a after rest-day ITT like many here including Netserk, remembering his bad performances of last year. Self-fulfilling prophecy. Negative thoughts beforehand (he felt like cr@p all morning), bad start, then I bet the "here we go again" feeling. Pinot's worst enemy can be himself. Demons. So human, maybe too human to dominate a sport which demands a cro-magnon, smash the beast with your mace approach.

Good news, today he was looking good. Being the optimistic fanboy, I could see Thibaut 3rd after the ITT and defending his spot for the next three days, which he was very capable of. But now he has to earn his prize, go get it. The average of the Froomes that we have seen can be beaten. Pozzo could be a different story. Whatever happens happens, but I'm looking forward to it.

Many intrigues, WTF moments, this Giro may have more in stock. The race is not over. We can slice it and dice it all we want, but the design is delivering. Many things will happen down the stretch. Will I like them? I hope so :) .
 
Alexandre B, yeah, don't remind me about that 4th. That was a not very good TT by Valverde either.

Tonton, I think you may very well be right about a self fulfilling prophecy with Pinot's not very good ITT. Hopefully he'll attack and try to get back towards that podium spot.
 
I think that a change of teams would do him good, but I also think that he should start considering changing his focus to something else than Grand Tours. He will never win a Grand Tour and chances are he might never podium one again either. He's simply way too inconsistent, his time trialing is horrible and he's not a good enough climber to take back the lost time. When he has a good day, he's really strong though. Perhaps he should target some more one day-races instead?
 
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LaFlorecita said:
Tibo is fading, he was much stronger in the first two weeks :( he must have peaked too early

I wish he'd try again next year with a different build up but he'll focus 100% on the Tour :(
Probably peaked too early in Trentino, he's not the first and surely not the last rider who has won that race only to fade durning the Giro (Pozzo in 2012 for example).
 
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Mayomaniac said:
LaFlorecita said:
Tibo is fading, he was much stronger in the first two weeks :( he must have peaked too early

I wish he'd try again next year with a different build up but he'll focus 100% on the Tour :(
Probably peaked too early in Trentino, he's not the first and surely not the last rider who has won that race only to fade durning the Giro (Pozzo in 2012 for example).
Maybe he did that deliberatey though? Tour of the Alps is the biggest stage race win of his career; he might have thought better to go all in for that and at least have something on his palmares, and hope there's enough left for the Giro.
 
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Mayomaniac said:
LaFlorecita said:
Tibo is fading, he was much stronger in the first two weeks :( he must have peaked too early

I wish he'd try again next year with a different build up but he'll focus 100% on the Tour :(
Probably peaked too early in Trentino, he's not the first and surely not the last rider who has won that race only to fade durning the Giro (Pozzo in 2012 for example).
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One of those riders that can look very good for two weeks but has trouble with the three weeks which eventually creates issues about which races to target. He looked even better in last year's Giro and couldn't finish it off while a veteran like Pozzo looks like he could podium. He is still young but has to change his prep and maybe his team. Maybe a sports psychologist wouldn't hurt either. He seems to have lost confidence in his TT.
 
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movingtarget said:
One of those riders that can look very good for two weeks but has trouble with the three weeks which eventually creates issues about which races to target. He looked even better in last year's Giro and couldn't finish it off while a veteran like Pozzo looks like he could podium. He is still young but has to change his prep and maybe his team. Maybe a sports psychologist wouldn't hurt either. He seems to have lost confidence in his TT.

Last year he was great in the third week. I think only Nibali was marginally stronger on the last mountain stages. He even won a stage.
 
Tonton said:
Pinot's worst enemy can be himself. Demons. So human, maybe too human to dominate a sport which demands a cro-magnon, smash the beast with your mace approach.

Exactly! That's why I like him (and a lot of people don't): he's got the physical gifts of a champion but the mental of an ordinary man. I find it easier to relate to him.
 
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skippo12 said:
movingtarget said:
One of those riders that can look very good for two weeks but has trouble with the three weeks which eventually creates issues about which races to target. He looked even better in last year's Giro and couldn't finish it off while a veteran like Pozzo looks like he could podium. He is still young but has to change his prep and maybe his team. Maybe a sports psychologist wouldn't hurt either. He seems to have lost confidence in his TT.

Last year he was great in the third week. I think only Nibali was marginally stronger on the last mountain stages. He even won a stage.

The TT was miserable.
 
Re: Re:

movingtarget said:
skippo12 said:
movingtarget said:
One of those riders that can look very good for two weeks but has trouble with the three weeks which eventually creates issues about which races to target. He looked even better in last year's Giro and couldn't finish it off while a veteran like Pozzo looks like he could podium. He is still young but has to change his prep and maybe his team. Maybe a sports psychologist wouldn't hurt either. He seems to have lost confidence in his TT.

Last year he was great in the third week. I think only Nibali was marginally stronger on the last mountain stages. He even won a stage.

The TT was miserable.
That's not about form, it's about managing your time before the start in late afternoon.
 

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