Teams & Riders Thibaut Pinot discussion thread

[Tonton]

Program for Tibopino from his Facebook:

Route d'Occitanie
Dauphiné
French RRC
Tour
Vuelta

Wow!!! May he save 2020...

 

[BlueRoads]

Program for Tibopino from his Facebook:

Route d'Occitanie
Dauphiné
French RRC
Tour
Vuelta

Wow!!! May he save 2020...

Nice program. But he's also going to do the WRR, isn't he?

 

[42x16ss]

Nice program. But he's also going to do the WRR, isn't he?

He'd better, the route suits him as much as anyone.

 

[Tonton]

That was not stated, but if he wins two GTs, who cares ?

Maybe I'm dreaming a bit, but I'm starving for cycling and my yearly emotional roller-coaster with Thibaut. May the Force be with him...always.

 

[Tonton]

Well, France Info says this...

1 au 4 août : Route d’Occitanie
12 au 16 août : Critérium du Dauphiné
23 août : Championnat de France
29 août - 20 septembre : Tour de France
27 septembre : Championnat du monde
20 octobre au 8 novembre : Vuelta

Even better! Two GTs, the Rainbow...any of the three will do for me

 

[Koronin]

Well, France Info says this...

1 au 4 août : Route d’Occitanie
12 au 16 août : Critérium du Dauphiné
23 août : Championnat de France
29 août - 20 septembre : Tour de France
27 septembre : Championnat du monde
20 octobre au 8 novembre : Vuelta

Even better! Two GTs, the Rainbow...any of the three will do for me

I'm just hoping he's in as good as shape for the Tour as he was last year and actually finishes it this year.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Well, France Info says this...

1 au 4 août : Route d’Occitanie
12 au 16 août : Critérium du Dauphiné
23 août : Championnat de France
29 août - 20 septembre : Tour de France
27 septembre : Championnat du monde
20 octobre au 8 novembre : Vuelta

Even better! Two GTs, the Rainbow...any of the three will do for me

Let's go for those 4 with stage wins included. Just make sure you check in so we know you're okay!

 

[Koronin]

Let's go for those 4 with stage wins included. Just make sure you check in so we know you're okay!

Why not 5 Tour stage wins?

 

[SHAD0W93]

Why not 5 Tour stage wins?

Victory in TdF, VaE, WC, and NC plus 5 tour stages would make 2020 the year of Pinot.

I had highlighted those 4 to say he wins those races from Tonton's post plus stage wins in everything he races.

 

[Koronin]

Victory in TdF, VaE, WC, and NC plus 5 tour stages would make 2020 the year of Pinot.

I had highlighted those 4 to say he wins those races from Tonton's post plus stage wins in everything he races.

In this totally strange and messed up year, why not. I only ask that Valverde gets his podiums at the WC and Vuelta with a few stages at la Vuelta. Pinot can have his career season.

 

[SHAD0W93]

In this totally strange and messed up year, why not. I only ask that Valverde gets his podiums at the WC and Vuelta with a few stages at la Vuelta. Pinot can have his career season.

Of course
He can also have some Tour stage wins and a classification jersey or two, Pinot doesn't want to hog all the glory.

 

[Koronin]

Of course
He can also have some Tour stage wins and a classification jersey or two, Pinot doesn't want to hog all the glory.

A Tour stage win would be really nice, but I'll take the green jersey at la Vuelta to go along with the podiums and set that record. Pinot is racing for try to get all the glory while Valverde is racing for history and some insane and likely obscure records.

 

[SHAD0W93]

A Tour stage win would be really nice, but I'll take the green jersey at la Vuelta to go along with the podiums and set that record. Pinot is racing for try to get all the glory while Valverde is racing for history and some insane and likely obscure records.

I mean, TdF, VaE, and WC might count as a Triple Crown. We would have to check the rule book and technicalities. Valverde could also have the KoM jerseys.

 

[Koronin]

I mean, TdF, VaE, and WC might count as a Triple Crown. We would have to check the rule book and technicalities. Valverde could also have the KoM jerseys.

Of a sort it may. As no one will ever let him go out in breaks there is no way he'll get the KoM jersey at the Tour. La Vuelta is more likely. How about giving him LBL to tie Merckx's record. La Vuelta's KoM can be won by someone who gets in a ton of breaks or one of the podium finishers. It really just depends on how the edition plays out.
I'm not sure if TdF, VaE, and WC is technically a Triple Crown or not, but two GT's plus WC should be something. It would definitely count as a best ever season regardless of if it's a strange season or not.

 

[Tonton]

"Cooler" weather should help Tibo, he has his '18 blueprint to hopefully peak Aug-Nov, I have to be optimistic. Now I don't worry for Valverde: he always is, and will be ready. Only question: is age (finally) catching up with him?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Age doesn't simply catch up with Valverde. Valverde catches up with age.

 

[RedheadDane]

Like I mentioned elsewhere, I just want to see good-Pinot for 21 stages at the Tour.

 

[Koronin]

"Cooler" weather should help Tibo, he has his '18 blueprint to hopefully peak Aug-Nov, I have to be optimistic. Now I don't worry for Valverde: he always is, and will be ready. Only question: is age (finally) catching up with him?

I'm just hoping for Pinot to have peak form and finish the Tour.

The riders (young pros, including World Tour riders and veteran riders) who were with him at the Spanish National team training camp last year were saying doing training rides with him were brutal and he could easily ride off from them any time he wanted to. He finished up that training camp then spent the next two days doing a training camp with his U-23 and elite team. It appears the team and SRAM have gotten the gearing issues fixed. Now where Valverde is going to run into some real problems is the colder/cooler temperatures. The opposite of Pinot. Pinot would prefer some cooler temperatures while Valverde thrives in the heat and hates cold. However, in areas where he was weak before he is struggling more. So in that sense age is starting to catch up to him.

 

[Tonton]

Finally! The season resumes!

First, the Tonton meltdown: WTF! We have been starved for four f*g months and they can't show the race on TV? F*g b@st@rds! I can't believe it. They know that Bernal, Froome, Pinot, Bardet, and many more are there, it's the queen stage, and no TV station can put two cameras on motorcycles? Are we in 1920?

OK, I'm done...I had to vent

Le Tour is just around the corner and riders needed to get situated: no training can duplicate a bike race. Tibopino was apprehensive heading into the Route d'Occitanie. We are now beginning to get answers...and questions too:

Froome lost 5 minutes today: lack of form? Is he done? MAL was off: is he the new Aru? Bardet worries me. Barguil is Barguil: very good but not great. Bernal was impressive, and so was Ineos, with an average lineup.

After today's stage, Thibaut was interviewed and expressed his relief. He felt good, the form is there with room to grow.

 

[Escarabajo]

Why does Bardet worry you? in a good or bad way?
I think he was OK today.

 

[Tonton]

Why does Bardet worry you? in a good or bad way?
I thin he was OK today.

In a bad way...put aside him reaping the benefits of a French onslaught at the RRWC, it has been a while since he put his weight on a race. TJVG, others come to mind. And that's another debate, riders peaking early in their career and fade. I don't know, but Romain's pitiful ITT in Marseille may have triggered an inferiority complex. The mental part is huge. Mental fortitude, a debate about Pinot two years ago IIRC. Except that Pinot bounces back. Many don't.

 

[JosephK]

Pinot looks like he is in decent form with the TDF rapidly approaching. Yes, there's room for improvement, which is what one wants. -- Not overcooked, this year. (Not saying he was overcooked last year, but he was pretty incredible for quite a while before the start of last year's TDF. Maybe it's better to be incredible in week 3 of the TDF, if possible. . . . Not saying it's possible, mind you. Not saying it's not possible.

 

[RedheadDane]

Unfortunately timing it differently wouldn't have made much of a difference last year...

 

[Alexandre B.]

In a bad way...put aside him reaping the benefits of a French onslaught at the RRWC, it has been a while since he put his weight on a race. TJVG, others come to mind. And that's another debate, riders peaking early in their career and fade. I don't know, but Romain's pitiful ITT in Marseille may have triggered an inferiority complex. The mental part is huge. Mental fortitude, a debate about Pinot two years ago IIRC. Except that Pinot bounces back. Many don't.

Bardet’s 2018 season was his best, and that was right after the infamous Marseille ITT.

I wouldn’t put too much worry after what was an ok-ish performance. Remember he fell yesterday.

 

[RedheadDane]

Mental fortitude, a debate about Pinot two years ago IIRC. Except that Pinot bounces back. Many don't.

Not to mention the debate - argument - after the Tour last year.
Is Pinot mentally fragile, because he always seems to get "knocked down"? Or is he - in some way - mentally strong because he always seems to "get up" again?
Of course there's no denying that he does struggle sometimes, but maybe that's just why I find him so relatable.