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"I'm arriving on the Italian roads with a lot of expectations" - After breakthrough Spring Laurence Pithie ready for Grand Tour debut
CyclingThursday, 02 May 2024 at 15:00
After a breakthrough Spring Classics campaign, Groupama - FDJ's Laurence Pithie will be hoping to keep the impressive performances going as he makes his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d'Italia.
"Being at the start in Turin for three weeks of competition is a real opportunity, and discovering your first Grand Tour as leader is no mean feat," the 21-year-old New Zealander previews to the Groupama - FDJ team. "I'm arriving on the Italian roads with a lot of expectations, so we'll take one opportunity after another and give everything we've got, every day, to go for this stage win that unites us all."
Impressive showings from Pithie at stage races such as the Tour Down Under and Paris-Nice, plus in one-day races such as the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Le Samyn, Milano-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix among others, Groupama - FDJ's sports director, Frédéric Guesdon understandably has full confidence in his man to bring success.
"With a strong, complementary team, we'll be supporting Laurence Pithie in his aim to win stages, whether flat or hilly," Guesdon explains. "Everyone will play an essential role around our sprinter to maximise our chances of winning, and I expect them to be dedicated to their leader. They're all very motivated to be at the start in Turin on Saturday."
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- Mas... Challenge Pogi!!! Ha Ha Haabstractengineer20-12-2024
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- Exactly who, Joey, is "they"? Flimsy, illogical conspiracy theories aside, it is in no one's interest (financial or otherwise) to "drive away small local events." Major cultural and macroeconomic factors are reducing ridership, but there is no "they" in this context.verve82520-12-2024
- And our virtual platforms allow us to "ride" famous place that we can't get to in person, which is a pretty fabulous aspect of this weird weird sport.RidesHills19-12-2024
- Which off-season are you referring to? The one after he won the Tour of California? The one after he won 3 stages and was on the podium of the Vuelta? The one after TJV screwed up, never put him away, and lost the Tour on the time trial? We've seen the guy hit the wall, lose energy, nearly fail, and lose races ("I'm dead") more than once. He's got a visible threshold and his fueling regimen is a clear weak spot. You'll need more detail to make this more than under defined insinuations .RidesHills19-12-2024
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- And it’s likely going to get worse. They are going all-out to drive away small local events which are where a lot of new riders come from. They want fee income and Olympic medals. That’s all.JoeyB19-12-2024
- Oh Lordspock12319-12-2024
- Interesting suggestion, fo you think testing Tadej’s (or Bolts’ or so many others’) parents would have given us a preview of his potential then or what criteria do you have to pick parents with?Mistermaumau19-12-2024