Tour de France: Pinot responds 'present' at La Planche des Belles Filles

The first mountain stage of the Tour de France is always a test, but the examination felt particularly thorough for Thibaut Pinot at La Planche des Belles Filles on Thursday. The heat – literal and figurative – of a French July has at times proved unbearable for the Groupama-FDJ leader over the years, and the burden of expectation could scarcely have been heavier as he raced on his own training roads on stage 6.

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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.