"It's a moment that I will remember forever" - Thibaut Pinot moved by the crowds that came to cheer him on his last mountain Tour de France stage
Cycling
We have just witnessed a moment that will remain engraved in the history of cycling. Rare are the riders who can bring together so many people on the side of the road. In recent years, we have had Wout Van Aert at Leuven, Primoz Roglic at Monte Lussari... and now Thibaut Pinot at Petit Ballon.
Alone, in the lead, carried by the crowd, the Frenchman from Groupama-FDJ did everything to resist the peloton and his fellow breakaway comrades, but finally cracked in the final ascent of the Platzerwasel.
"It was extraordinary, I experienced incredible feeling today," explains Pinot on arrival. "I rode this stage to win it and I think it was the right tactic, but I just lacked a bit of legs to accompany the group that fought for the stage. On the Petit Ballon it was madness, just indescribable. I had the best supporters in the world, I wanted to experience these last emotions," continues the most combative rider of the stage.
"Finishing on the podium on the Tour here is incredible for me. La Route des Crêtes is my favorite. In any case, it's a moment that will remain in my mind forever. All of this goes well beyond the result, it's more than a victory. I'm also happy to finish with such a level and to show that I can be a protagonist in my last Tour de France," concludes very moved Pinot.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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#TDF2023 Tadej Pogacar s'est offert la 20e étape d'un #TourDeFrance que Jonas Vingegaard va remporter. Auteur d'un très beau numéro et 7e, Thibaut Pinot aura réussi sa dernière étape de montagne sur le Tour. À suivre sur CyclismActu.net
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