"He will attack the Giro in top condition" - Cyrille Guimard advises Thibaut Pinot to race Giro d'Italia like Richard Virenque

Shall Thibaut Pinot aim for stages or general classification on upcoming Giro d'Italia is the neverending dilemma for riders such as him, riders who can finish in top10 or even a top5, but who are also able to fight for stages and/or KOM jersey.

2nd place on the top of Thyon 2000 was a good sign for the experienced Frenchman towards his Giro d'Italia preparation, where he should be riding in top condition. But even more importantly, racing outside his homeland, Pinot should be able to finally enjoy cycling without the immense pressure that comes from being French GC rider riding Tour de France.

"Yes, it's a good sign, he will attack the Giro in top condition. Already when he is in Italy or Switzerland he is less stressed than when he races in France, he arrives there without pressure," Cyrille Guimard told Cyclism'actu. "He doesn't arrive saying "I want to win the Giro", when you have Evenepoel and Roglic, it's difficult."

If we are lucky enough, we might be even catch a glimpse of flying Pinot from before his 2019 knee injury after which he never fully came back both; physically and mentally. However he should not have the same objectives as he had in the past.

"It's the ambiguity. This is also often the case for riders who can make a top 10 or even a top 5, but who are also able to get the best climber's jersey and stages. I would be Pinot, the first stages I would end up on the bus and then I would play, like Richard Virenque did. But it's not easy to tell yourself that you have to get up the first few days," Guimard concluded.