While the Tour of Alps 2022 created some marvelous winners, it even left some really good racers heartbroken, one of those is Thibaut Pinot. He was so close to victory, so close to securing that beautiful win but his dreams were shattered by Miguel Angel Lopez. The clash between the two racers happened at the end of Kals am Grossglockner, at the mountain tops.
This is extremely sad and heartbreaking for Pinot as he has not won a single race after being victorious in Col du Tourmalet during the 2019 Tour De France. He was denied entry into the 19th stage because of a muscle problem. In addition to that, his 2021 season was also wrecked because of a back pain issue.
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At today’s event Pinot wanted to regain his glory, he wanted to taste victory after so much time and turn his life upside down again. He even launched a solo attack during the final 12 kilometers but Lopez caught up to him and deflected all of his attacks grabbing the final victory. This plunged Pinot into disappointment and despair.
« Ça fait chier parce que ça m’aurait fait du bien (…) j’aurais pu tourner cette page de merde et passer à autre chose »
💬 L’émotion de Thibaut Pinot après sa 2e place sur la 4e étape du Tour des Alpes #lequipeVELO pic.twitter.com/F1QT0o2tnV
— la chaine L’Équipe (@lachainelequipe) April 21, 2022
Experiencing a defeat like this changes a person and this was the same case with Pinot. After the finish line, he was trying to catch his breath but he could not control himself. He sat on the road, trying very hard to control his emotions, and at the first chance with the interviewers, he broke into tears:
It pisses me off because it would have been good for me after the last two years I’ve been through.
At my normal level, nobody would have caught up with me there, that’s what’s frustrating. I wish life would smile on me for one day but I have to be patient.
Pinot’s 2022 cycling season is going well, he took part in many stage races. With each race, he felt better and it boosted his confidence and skills, he really could have used a victory.
It would have done me good to win today. I could have turned that shitty page and moved on to something else.
It was another good chance to win and there aren’t many as a pro. We’ll see, we’ll see if it can happen tomorrow and in the coming weeks.
There are plenty of races and events ahead, but Pinot can still prove himself. He will be able to taste victory again. For more updates, you know where to look!
Also Read: Mathieu Van Der Poel Hints At Changing Racing Style Ahead Of Giro D’Italia
Featured Image Via Instagram/thibaut.pinot
