This is the story of the glass half empty or half full. By deciding to break the silence on Tuesday, Thibaut Pinot, the French rider of Groupama-FDJ has filled his fans, but has not necessarily reassured. Two months after his real-false comeback on the Tour des Alpes, the Haut-Saônois did not however indicate a date for a possible return. “Soon two months after my last race number on the Tour des Alpes, I wanted to give you some news. To continue pedaling in recent months, I had to compensate by soliciting other muscles to relieve my back, which led to pain in the hip, lower back, gluteal muscles, psoas… ”
Thibaut Pinot also specifies that “after examinations carried out at the Cochin hospital with specialists, I carried out several treatments at the beginning of May in a Parisian clinic.
After three weeks of complete rest, I have just completed a six-week cycle of reinforced work where the days were punctuated with 2 hours of cycling in the morning and session in the afternoon with a physiotherapist at home: muscle strengthening, care, stretching … ”
The end of the tunnel is not for now
In his message, which is optimistic, he confirms that his state of health is improving.
“A lot of parameters have improved over the past two months.
I can now extend my outings on the road.
An important step to find a condition allowing me to take the start of a race in full possession of my means.
"
Some news ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/sJ7hlxVlFL
- PINOT Thibaut (@ThibautPinot) June 29, 2021
However, he acknowledges that the end of the tunnel is not yet.
“For the moment, I still have a discomfort in the lower back which prevents me from being 100% to give a bib.
The Groupama-FDJ team and I are actively continuing to target and treat the cause of the pain, I remain hopeful and want to come back to the peloton as soon as possible!
"
Read also Tour de France 2021: why already so many falls this year?
Ten months after his fall on the first stage of the Tour de France 2020 on August 29, the French rider has obviously not yet finished with his back pain. From there to considering an end of career at 31 years old, there is a step that Jacky Maillot, the doctor of the Groupama-FDJ team, had not taken a few weeks ago: “It is not at all the end of Thibaut's career. He has a huge mind and manages his disappointment without being downcast. We'll get there… "