Pinot: There was panic in the peloton

Thibaut Pinot’s words of caution after Saturday’s opening time trial proved to be prescient. After gaining time in Utrecht on the principal contenders for overall victory at this Tour de France, the FDJ man had moved swiftly to put a dampener on French expectations, which haven’t reached such heights, perhaps, since the mid-1990s. “A 20-second advantage means nothing,” he said calmly.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan is Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.