The laughter of the person concerned, which accompanied the anecdote, does not leave room for great optimism as to the feasibility of the thing.
But, as small as it is, knowing that there is still hope of seeing Thibaut Pinot pacing the roads of professional cycling for a few more months will certainly put a big smile on the faces of his many supporters whose hearts have been bleeding since Thursday. .
The Groupama-FDJ rider, who announced on Thursday that he would end his career in October after the Tour of Lombardy, told RMC that a victory at the French Championships next June would cause him to postpone his departure for the retreat.
“For the little anecdote, I made a bet with some friends from the team, says the Franc-Comtois, in an interview which will be broadcast in full on Sunday in Bartoli Time.
The only possibility for me to continue for six months would be to be champion of France.
To wear the blue-white-red jersey for a year.
We will say that this would be the only condition for me to continue perhaps in 2024. (…) Doing a year with the blue-white-red jersey has always been a dream for me”.
Madiot surprised by Pinot's statements
A statement to which reacted in the wake of the boss of his team, Marc Madiot, invited in "Les Grandes Gueules du Sport".
“It's a discovery.
If he can be champion of France and end his career there, I sign immediately.
After… Making six-month contracts can be done, but today it is not relevant, ”he commented.
Thibaut Pinot's current contract runs until the end of the season.
Read also "I want to devote myself to animals, to nature": Thibaut Pinot, a romantic "lost" on the roads
The rider will first concentrate on the Giro in May, his "main objective of the season", before therefore aligning himself with the French Championships (June 22 to 25, 2023) which will take place between Hazebrouck and Cassel, in the North of France.
There Thibaut Pinot, will try to thicken his heritage of "romantic lost on the roads", by offering his fans a last thrill.
And why not by winning in the time trial like in 2016.
