During the 8th stage of the Tour de France, Thibaut Pinot, injured, lost ground from the first pass out of category.
For the French, it is a new disillusionment after his retirement last year.
The images are cruelly like those of last year.
Thibaut Pinot, far behind the peloton, surrounded by his teammates.
The French rider of Groupama-FDJ was once again let loose by his body on Saturday during the 8th stage of the Tour de France.
Hit in the back and adrift in the first non-category pass of the Tour de France, he lost about twenty minutes.
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Like last year, when the Franc-Comtois had to give up two days before the finish on the Champs-Elysées, when he was fighting for the yellow jersey, only his team was in the know.
Officially, he was gradually recovering from his fall from the 1st stage.
But in reality, a bruise on his back prevented him from pedaling at times.
"We will return to action", promises Madiot
On Saturday, Pinot was left behind by the main peloton from the first ramps of the port of Balès, some 45 kilometers from Loudenvielle, and saw his dreams of victory soar.
"Today, it may be a turning point in my career, it's too many failures for me", he confided, disillusioned, after the race.
"I've always said that cycling is about fighting, having fun, winning races, and that's too much of a failure for me right now."
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Despite his disappointment, Groupama-FDJ manager Marc Madiot refuses to take this shortcut.
"This is also what makes the history of this race, when things are going well it's easy, and it's a little more difficult when things are not going well", he explains.
And to continue: "It is up to us to be strong, solid, united. We will recover, repair the man and we will return to action".
For Thibaut Pinot, the only objective to save his Tour is now to aim for a stage victory in the mountains.