Thibaut Pinot will tackle the Tour de France once more in 2022
Frenchman aims for podium again eight years after he last achieved the feat, will be joined by David Gaudu and Michael Storer
![Thibaut Pinot](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pRvDTSYCShEbgSGJ3jXkXh-415-80.jpg)
Thibaut Pinot will return to the Tour de France for the first time since 2020 this year, with sprinter Arnaud Démare heading to the Giro d'Italia instead.
Groupama-FDJ announced their leaders for the Tour and Giro at a team presentation on Wednesday, where much of the Tour squad was also revealed.
Alongside Pinot, who has won three stages at the Tour and finished third in 2014, will be David Gaudu, Stefan Küng, Valentin Madouas, and new signing Michael Storer.
The Frenchman crashed heavily in the first week of the 2022 race, which aggravated a back injury which has plagued him since. He did not compete in any of the grand tours last year, riding just 38 race days.
In 2019, he looked set to be a strong contender for the overall at the race before he innocuously injured his knee; he was 1:50 behind race leader Julian Alaphilippe with a stage win already in his pocket when he abandoned stage 19. Pinot hopes to be back to his best for this year's race, which begins in Copenhagen on 1 July.
“I want to regain my level and win races," he said. "I want to become the rider again before my fall on the Tour 2020. The Tour de France will be the highlight of my season with this common goal: a podium on the Champs-Élysées."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Pinot will be joined by Gaudu, who finished 11th at the 2021 Tour. The pair will vie for leadership along with Storer, the Australian who joined from DSM over the winter.
Team boss Marc Madiot said: "For the Tour de France, we’re going to go with extremely high ambitions. We want to fight for the podium...
"We’re six months away from the Tour, and it will be the evolution of the riders’ physical condition, along with the circumstances of the race, that will influence things. I can’t say right now who the main leader will be."
On Storer, the Frenchman said: "We’ll see how the race unfolds but, from what we saw of him in the mountains, notably at the Vuelta, he can be taken into consideration."
The Australian won two stages of the Vuelta a España last year and the mountains classification.
"In the first place, the squad is built around David and Thibaut," Madiot continued. "But when you look at the general classification in recent years, ok, Pogačar has won, but when you look at some of the guys below him, how many would you have put on the podium or in the top-five six months beforehand?"
Gaudu has ambitions for finishing higher up the GC this year, with the 25-year old expressing a desire to finish on the podium too.
"I want to transform the top ten into top five, the top five into podiums, and the podiums into victories," he said. "The Tour de France will be the major goal of my season, I’m going with the team to aim for the podium in the general classification."
At the Giro, Démare will aim for sprint victories, which he won four of in 2020 along with the points jersey. He will be joined by Attila Valter, who is aiming to impress again after spending time in the pink jersey last year. The race begins in Budapest, and the Hungarian riders has spoken of his desire to impress on home roads.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Adam is Cycling Weekly’s news editor – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing. He's usually out and about on the roads of Bristol and its surrounds. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
-
Tadej Pogačar broke 288 Strava KOMs during Tour de France victory
Slovenian won his third Tour title in Nice last weekend, and picked up a host of new trophies on Strava
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I'm definitely pushing over 2,500 watts' - Meet the most powerful cyclists in the GB Olympics squad
Move over track sprinters, there are stronger legs in town
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Coppi, Pantani, Van Vleuten, Pogačar: A look at the Giro-Tour double winners club
Tadej Pogačar has now officially joined the club, becoming the eighth man to achieve one of professional cycling’s most sought after accolades
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
How do Tour de France time cuts work?
Any riders finishing too far behind are eliminated from the race - we look into the details of the complicated system
By Alex Ballinger Published
-
Tour de France Netflix series confirmed for third season
Unchained series renewed with upcoming season to cover 2024 Tour
By Tom Davidson Published
-
13 things you didn’t know about Biniam Girmay, the first Black rider to win a Tour de France stage
Meet the Eritrean rider making history with three Tour de France stage wins to his name and wearing the green jersey
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
12 things you didn’t know about American Matteo Jorgenson, Vingegaard's lieutenant at the Tour
The Team Visma-Lease a Bike rider is one of just three Americans riding in the Tour de France this year but he's got a lot of responsibility
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
'There's always wine' - Marc Madiot offers unique dinner experience for fans at Tour de France
Ever wanted to share a bottle of wine with Groupama-FDJ's manager? Now's your chance
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tour de France 2024 tech: New superbikes, unreleased wheels and aero bottles
There's fresh tech everywhere in the team paddocks of the biggest bike race in the world
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Jan Hirt breaks teeth after fans invade team paddock at Tour de France
Soudal Quick-Step rider starts stage despite bloody injury
By Tom Davidson Published