The Breakaway team have given their reactions to the hugely entertaining, if ultimately unsuccessful, attacks from Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) after he lost out to Einer Rubio (Movistar Team) on Stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia on Friday.
Pinot repeatedly launched swashbuckling attacks on the very dramatic, at times chaotic and weather-affected route which had to be shortened earlier in the day.
But it was Rubio whose composure shone through in a thrilling finish as he took an unlikely win. Ad The Frenchman appeared to let his frustrations get the better of him as he gesticulated at another escapee Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost) for not taking a turn at the front during a climb and then burst forward in another explosive attack that eventually petered out.
Giro d'ItaliaStage 13 highlights — Rubio takes victory after weather and Pinot drama2 HOURS AGO Adam Blythe, Robbie McEwen and Dan Lloyd had their say in the studio after the day's racing, and the trio all agreed that emotions seemed to scupper Pinot's best intentions with emotions causing some ill-advised tactics. «It is almost like he forgot to be a bike racer,» Blythe began on The Breakaway. «He rode all the way up that climb on the front, kept attacking, kept being brought back, kept attacking. »If you do that three or four times, you'd be like 'I'm not doing this anymore, I'm just going to save myself because they just keep catching me'.