"The strongest rider has won. I wasn't good enough" - Thibaut Pinot praises Filippo Zana following stage 18 at the Giro d'Italia

Another near miss for Thibaut Pinot saw him again left disappointed as he failed to take a stage win at his final Giro d'Italia, losing out to Filippo Zana. Following the stage Pinot had plenty of praise for his rival.

“Now there is much less disappointment. It's part of racing," said the Groupama - FDJ leader who was heavily criticised by EF Education-EasyPost boss Jonathan Vaughters over Pinot's perceived lack of class following his second-placed finish on stage 13. “I gave everything I had, I lost in the sprint. I took some distance in the sprint, but I made a mistake. I have less regrets now, the strongest rider has won. I wasn't good enough."

As a consolation for missing out on the stage win, Pinot has returned to the top 10 of the general classification, now placed 7th, and the reclaiming of the Maglia Azzura from Ben Healy after taking near maximum King of the Mountains points on the stage.

“I deserved that. Tomorrow it will be a goal to keep the jersey. It has always been a dream to be on the podium at the Giro," continued the Frenchman. "It is not the podium of the general classification, but it is also beautiful. to end up in the Giro that way, that would be a nice image.”