2023-05-25 18:11:45
A plume intact but still not winning. Thibaut Pinot shone again this Thursday on the roads of the Tour of Italy. The 32-year-old Frenchman, as a reminder in the last year of his career, played for the final victory until the end this Thursday at Val di Zoldo (Veneto) in the 18th stage of the Giro. But like last week, in Crans-Montana, the most romantic of French climbers was once again robbed of victory.
Filippo Zana (Jayco AlUla) is the only one to have held the wheel of the Frenchman nine kilometers from the finish when the latter chose to quarter the breakaway formed very early in the day. The Italian champion then waited the last 100 meters before attacking and passing Pinot. A regular in these places of honor which please no one and whose return to the top 10 overall (7th) will not change anything. No more than the jersey of the best climber that he wears again.
The face of Groupama-FDJ is still looking for its second Giro stage victory. He has not won a Grand Tour since 2019 and the final ascent of the Tourmalet. Will he taste this drunken feeling one last time? It is more and more difficult to believe it, as the Tour of Italy ends and its participation in the Grande Boucle (July 1-23) is quite possible but the level is much higher.
Note that Breton Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic) finished third for the day. Geraint Thomas retains his overall pink jersey tunic. The leader of Ineos-Grenadiers arrived at the same time as Primoz Roglic, unlike Joao Almeida, who lost 20 seconds and dropped to 3rd place.
More information to come…
#Giro #Thibaut #Pinot #fails #place