On the Tour de France 2019, the joyful scene of Marc Madiot in a trance accompanying Thibaut Pinot's spectacular stage victory at the top of the Tourmalet had made the rounds on social networks.
With the same conviction, the same confidence and the same passion, the manager of the Groupama-FDJ team returned on Tuesday to the preponderant role that the Franc-Comtois plays in his team.
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Thibaut Pinot absent from the Tour de France: 5 reasons for his choice
A rider who will turn away from the next Tour de France to favor the Giro but whom the Mayennais will support: “On the Giro, we will play in front, very close to the first, to the first.
He has the potential to earn it.
Pinot, we say he always has something, he has no mind, no this, no that ... but when you have the chance to rub shoulders with him on a daily basis on the Tour de France or other major events, Pinot is anything but that, everything except what people say about him.
If there's a guy who knows how to hurt his face, it's him.
I already told him eye to eye.
He gives and he will give.
This year's Tour de France is an exceptional example, we don't want to relive the same situation, to find ourselves in the evening of the 1st stage in great difficulty, but remember the self-sacrifice he made. every day to hide during his pains which were already present and to maintain hope for him as well as for the team.
It didn't.
We tried to reschedule for the Tour of Spain, that didn't do it either because the injury was more serious and deeper than we imagined but Pinot, he never gave up.
There's something that a lot of runners don't have, there is commitment.
He does not necessarily always have the words to say it or to express it, but he has something that many do not have, this something he gives it, puts it in his action on the bike.
Just for that, we have to be with him.
I don't know if we will win the Tour of Italy one day, I don't know if we will win the Tour de France one day but there is one thing that I am sure is that he will try to do it.
And as long as he has a bib on his back, he will give himself the means to do so.
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Certainly the highlight of the Groupama-FDJ presentation conference today: Marc Madiot's strong speech to defend Thibaut Pinot against criticism.
@ GroupamaFDJpic.twitter.com / zIGSlTktRV
- The Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) January 19, 2021
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Thibaut Pinot absent from the Tour de France: 5 reasons for his choice