“Well” physically and “liberated” in his head, Thibaut Pinot said in an interview with AFP that he wanted to “take his last Tour de France like a party”, on which he hopes to “raise his arms one last time” before taking his retirement at the end of the season.
Above all at the service of his leader David Gaudu, within the Groupama-FDJ team, the 33-year-old Franc-Comtois, who will be competing in his 10th Big Loop, also intends to “seize his chance” on the stages where he will be “ free to go forward.
You weren’t planned at the start, but was it the Tour de France that you most wanted to come to?
“It’s true that there were years when I didn’t really want to go on the Tour because I didn’t feel it or because I put too much pressure on myself. And, generally, it went badly. The times I wanted to come, I was rather successful. For my last season, it would have been a regret not to go.
Would that have been weird for the audience too?
“It warms my heart to see that everyone supported me in continuing with the Tour de France. This is also why I want to do well. I want to enjoy, to take it as a party. Give the best of myself hoping to have as good feelings as at the end of the Giro. If so, there may be good surprises in Paris.”
Your mission will be to support David Gaudu but can your role evolve?
“It’s the race that will decide. We go to the base to help David as much as possible. Afterwards, we know that the race will open and that there will be many opportunities, especially on such a tough Tour de France. Big teams like Jumbo won’t be able to control every day and there will inevitably be exit vouchers and days when I will be free to go up front. It will be up to me to take my chance. I will surely have several roles in this Tour and that also motivates me.
Do you understand the criticism of not having helped David Gaudu much last year?
“I had a free electron role. But I didn’t have good feelings. I had the Covid eight days before. For me it was really a complicated Tour. I had things to prove to myself, in relation to my back injury in particular. I wanted to prove to myself that I was still the runner I was before. I totally understand the criticism. I too would have liked to give more. For David, for the team and to be better when I was on the break. It was a frustrating Tour for me.”
Are you more fulfilled this year?
“I have fun on the bike. I feel liberated from a weight too. I have nothing more to prove to anyone, just to have fun. My career is done. I have already finished second five times this season. If I could raise my arms one last time on the Tour de France, it would still be a great story.
