Thibaut Pinot has been rushed to hospital to be treated for exhaustion, dehydration and respiratory problems following the 20th stage of the Giro d’Italia.
Pinot was third in the general classification ahead of the penultimate stage but was dropped early on the stage 20 and reached the finish line at 45 minutes from stage winner Mikel Nieve.
Groupama-FDJ has confirmed that Pinot “was kept under observation tonight at Aosta hospital. He suffers from dehydration and fever but is well taken care of and accompanied by our team doctor Jacky Maillot”.
“We knew that Thibaut had been suffering for some time,” Jeremy Roy said. “He went beyond his limits all week. When your body says ‘stop,’ you can’t go beyond your limits immeasurably. It was terrible to watch, but all respect to him for finishing the stage, because it was a calvaire [an ordeal]. He was in agony on the bike.”
“I had a bad feeling this morning,” Roy admitted. “But that’s sport. There are highs and lows. Today was not a good one.”
Groupama-FDJ manager Marc Madiot expressed his support for Pinot in an interview with L’ÉquipeTV.
“We win together and we lose together,” he said. “We know that cycling is a hard sport, cruel and difficult. You have to accept the bad moments in order to live the moments of joy more intensely.”
