‘I’m not sure I deserve it’ - Thibaut Pinot's moving farewell at Il Lombardia

Thibaut Pinot waves to the crowd as he crosses the finish line with his Groupama-FDJ teammates on the final race of his career
Thibaut Pinot waves to the crowd as he crosses the finish line with his Groupama-FDJ teammates on the final race of his career (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Ça y est! C'est fini.” Thibaut Pinot exclaimed after finishing Il Lombardia, effectively ending his professional career.

“I’m far from being a world champion but I have the best public in the world. It was a magnificent experience,” he said of the hundreds of screaming Pinot Ultras fans who had travelled to Italy for his last dance, gathered on the ‘Curva Pinot’ on the final climb of the race to Bergamo Alto to cheer and celebrate his unique character and career.