While many of the riders gathering in Bergamo for Il Lombardia are fatigued after a long season and ready to put their bikes and lycra away for a few weeks, Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) appears fresh and enthusiastic as if he was just starting his season, despite the leaves falling from the Lombardy trees.
The Frenchman's victory at Milano-Torino on Wednesday and his second place at Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday have confirmed his superb moment of form.
He has ridden both the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España this year, recovering from pneumonia in between, but has held onto his form deep into October so he can savour this final week of racing in Italy.
"This week has been very good for me up until now, and there's just one day to go before the holidays, so I very much want to finish on a good note at Lombardia," Pinot said on Friday afternoon after a final ride under a warm autumn sun, happy that the forecast is for similar conditions on Saturday.