Pinot plays down Vuelta a España chances as back injury lingers

Team GroupamaFDJ rider Frances Thibaut Pinot rides during the 13th stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race 191 km between ChatelGuyon and Puy Mary on September 11 2020 Photo by Marco Bertorello AFP Photo by MARCO BERTORELLOAFP via Getty Images
Team Groupama-FDJ rider Thibaut Pinot has one stage top 10 at this year's Tour de France (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Thibaut Pinot has revealed he has still not fully recovered from the back injury that hampered his Tour de France, and is therefore approaching the Vuelta a España without the ambition of going for the overall title. 

Speaking to the press on the eve of the opening stage, the Frenchman said he wanted to rediscover the "enjoyment" of racing again, and suggested his time in Spain would revolve around hunting for stage wins and supporting Groupama-FDJ teammate David Gaudu

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Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is an NCTJ-trained journalist, and former deputy editor of Cyclingnews, who has seven years’ experience covering professional cycling. He has a modern languages degree from Durham University and has been able to put it to some use in what is a multi-lingual sport, with a particular focus on French and Spanish-speaking riders. Away from cycling, Patrick spends most of his time playing or watching other forms of sport - football, tennis, trail running, darts, to name a few, but he draws the line at rugby.