Slovenian Tadej Pogaçar won for the third consecutive time this Saturday, October 7, in Bergamo, Italy, the Tour of Lombardy, the last great cycling classic of the season. It was also the last career race of one of the former winners of this “monument”, the most beloved French cyclist of recent years: Thibaut Pinot. At 33, this singular, endearing champion, with a rich and battered career, is already putting his bike away. A heartbreak for his supporters, who came in large numbers to gather 3 km from the finish to reform the “Pinot turn”, already put in place during the last Tour de France.
From our special correspondent,
And the Via della Boccola became the “Curva Pinot”, the Pinot bend in Italian. It is not yet midday, the sun is already beating down on Bergamo, when a colorful horde takes over this peaceful and slightly sloping little street in the suburbs of the upper town. There are, jumbled together, t-shirts from the “CUP”, the Collectif Ultras Pinot, flags from Franche-Comté, the cycling champion’s homeland, a man disguised as a priest carrying a sign “ God bless TiboPino “.
In all, already a good hundred people, and that’s just the beginning: “ Some had a problem with their plane and will arrive at the last minute », specifies Rémi, one of the co-founders of the CUP, this informal movement at the origin of the last big gathering around the “idol” Pinot. “ It was all done on social media », explains Rémi, “ We tried to encourage exchanges for carpooling, accommodation, etc… Groups come from all over France, there are even two supporters from Copenhagen, and one of them makes the trip with his vehicle, 4 p.m. travel time, 32 hours round trip. »
We come from far, far away to take our place in the Curva Pinot.
The record: 16 hours by car from Copenhagen. Oscar comes from Brest, a 14-hour journey for him but there is no question of missing this Tour of Lombardy, the last race of the “idol” #CurvaPinot pic.twitter.com/87WlPGs42K— Thomas-Sean de Saint Leger (@ThomasdeStLeger) October 7, 2023
But why such an effort? “ Because Thibaut », replies straight away Bastien, in his twenties, 9 hours on the road from Dijon. “ He is “TRUE”, and then even if he perhaps does not have the greatest track record in French cycling, he is the first in our hearts. With Pinot, we experience incomparable emotions, highs, lows. He could have won the Tour de France in 2019, it didn’t work, but that doesn’t change anything, there will never be another like him. Look at all these people coming together today, it’s unique. » « It’s French panache, adds another, we cried for his victories and his hard blows. »
Pinot, a popular champion in spite of himself
The race is still far away, so you have to gather your strength: a Savoyard fondue stand is set up at the same time as a tarpaulin to the glory of Thibaut Pinot. An hour later, change of scenery, the crowd has doubled, that’s it: the turn is taking shape, flags bearing the image of the champion are distributed and the CUP capos can heat up the atmosphere by launching into their megaphones diverted chants from supporters of PSG, Thibaut Pinot’s favorite club. The first smoke bombs are blown, the passing cycle tourists treat themselves to the greatest thrill of their career, some even stopping by several times for a double dose.
A football stadium ? No, Bergamo’s usually peaceful Via della Boccola, renamed “Curva Pinot” for the day. In less than 3 hours, Thibault Pinot will give his last pedal strokes as a professional cyclist. #CurvaPinot #IlLombardia pic.twitter.com/cqpoLNDhjD
— Thomas-Sean de Saint Leger (@ThomasdeStLeger) October 7, 2023
Barely arriving on the scene, Marc Madiot, the boss of Groupama-FDJ, Pinot’s team since its beginnings, is carried in triumph by the crowd. “ I’ll miss him “, immediately recognizes the leading character, ” he is a special, atypical runner who leaves no one indifferent. He has something more, a soul. In his efforts, we felt the involvement, the pain, the despair at times. People identify with him. He is authentic, without forcing himself and even without realizing it. »
This is one of the Pinot paradoxes: ultra-popular champion who never sought to be. Her mother, Marie-Jeanne, also presents, agrees: “ I’m not sure he’s comfortable with all this fervor, he’s rather wild. As his friend Boris says, he’s a bear who needs to take refuge in his cave. »
World Supporters Champion
The time passes, the voices are hoarse and finally the first runners pass, the future winner, Tadej Pogaçar, in the lead. The crowd at the “Curva Pinot” pays measured attention. The big moment will wait. A few minutes passed and suddenly, a rumor “ He is coming », then chaos: Thibaut Pinot appears, the bend literally closes on him, swallowed up, overflowing with love, at a standstill. A crowd bath in the middle of the race, on one of the greatest classics on the calendar, never seen before.
A few minutes later, the procession heads towards the finish line. The crowd finds their idol there, in front of the Groupama-FDJ team bus for an improvised farewell ceremony. Megaphone in hand, very moved, Pinot speaks: “ Thank you. I may not be world champion, but I have the best supporters in the peloton, I don’t know if I deserve you “, launches the champion, immediately interrupted by “ but yes! “. The speech ends with a promise: to revive the “Pinot turn” in other races, with the hero supporting it.
Because that’s it, we’ll have to get used to it: Thibaut Pinot has gotten off his bike. A few more media requests in Paris and next Friday he will take the train for his home, in the east of France, the “ freedom train », as he said in an interview with the Swiss daily The weather. There his farm, his animals and numerous projects await him, between permaculture and guest house.