Strong second half of season continues for young French star
Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) has once again exceeded expectations and is currently leading the Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda in Italy after soloing to the finish on stage one.
The 21 year old has displayed fine form during the second half of the season and is poised to win the race with one day remaining, providing he can hold off attacks that are likely to come on the day’s mountain top finish from riders such as Davide Rebellin (Miche–Guerciotti) and Jose Serpa (Androni Giocattoli).
The four stage event culminates in Bergamo today with a 149 km stage. Pinot currently holds a 23” gap over Simone Stortoni (Colnago – CSF Inox) while Rebellin and Serpa are a further 33” and 37” back respectively.
Stage two and three ended in bunch sprints won by Sacha Modolo (Colnago – CSF Inox) while Pinot finished safely in the bunch to retain the leaders jersey.
“There was a breakaway of five riders, all classified within 5 minutes,” said director Yvon Madiot, speaking about stage three yesterday.
“The guys did the job quickly and received the support of the sprinters teams who have been successful. In the last little climb of the day, 50 riders made up the first peloton with our riders Thibaut, Sandy Casar and Arnold Jeannesson that are very strong.”
In the end everything was controlled with the break brought back and Modolo winning his second successive stage. However, today will be a different stage with explosive riding expected on the final climb of the day.
The young French rider will take encouragement from the fact that he’ll be surrounded by a strong team, including the experienced Casar as well Jeannesson, who this year finished fifteenth in the Tour de France.
Pinot already has five wins to his tally this season and will look to add a sixth today. Last month he won two stages in the Tour de l’Ain and also won a stage and took the general classification in the Tour Alsace in July.