Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), in expectation on his own condition, on Saturday designated the Colombian Nairo Quintana as favorite of Paris-Nice, 24 hours before the start in the Yvelines. "From what I saw in February, Quintana really seems to me to be above the lot," said the Frenchman during a press point held by videoconference because of the drastic instructions to avoid contacts due coronavirus. "If he passes the first stages without worry, he is the big favorite ... by far".
"I don't really know where I am," he added. "I'm not going to hide it, I'm not in the condition I thought I was. In my last race, which was the Haut Var, I was not exceptional at Mont Faron. I was disappointed ".
Dubative about his form of the moment
"It's going to be a tough Paris-Nice," said the Franc-Comtois (29) who will participate for the first time in his career in the "race to the sun". “It's good for July (the Tour de France). I have to run, to take the rhythm of the competition that I miss. On paper, I am one of the favorites but we will see Sunday in Nice. The goal is to leave Nice with a smile. I must especially reassure myself in the last weekend (the mountain stages) ”.
Press conference by videoconference because of the virus
Asked about the coronavirus, which caused the cancellation of the Italian races in March and led several teams to give up on Paris-Nice, Thibaut Pinot said: "No, I did not hesitate to come. I feel a little disconnected from what is happening on TV, it is true that we talk about it a lot but I do not feel a panic around me. "
“What is going on between (what we see on) TV and the reality on the ground is a bit disproportionate. We will see tomorrow in relation to the measures taken by ASO. In any case, I was never afraid to come here because of the virus, ”concluded the leader of the Groupama-FDJ team.
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