As expected, Bob Jungels (Trek Factory) won Sunday's final stage of the Etoile de Bessèges and that was enough to also win the race overall. The Luxembourger did not disappoint in the time trial, relegating Tony Gallopin (Lotto-Soudal) to second by 19 second. Thibaut Pinot, without being on a great day, took tenth on the stage and finished thirteenth overall.

"Thibaut was not great, he gave me the impression of running out of juice," says FDJ sports director Yvon Madiot. "Even though he had made the top 10, he was still disappointed because he could not really apply the work he had done over the last few months. The result is what it is but I take away from this week a huge progress in the race. I didn't see him at the back of the peloton once in the road stages. Instead, he never left the top thirty even when the fight for position was strong and he recognized that it was easier to stay there than to constanly have to move up in the wind. So, yes, of course, it cost him energy and probably he paid a little for it today but it does not matter. We are only in February and Thibaut confirmed to me what I had seen during the training camps: he has matured a lot and that gives me guarantees. "

On Sunday night, Pinot travelled to his beloved Franche-Comté where the weather forecast looks good and here he will prepare the Tour of Oman on his training roads. Then he will start a training camp with Steve Morabito, Cédric Pineau and Jérémy Roy to prepare Tirreno-Adriatico.

"Collectively, I am very satisfied with the team," Madiot said. "I thought they had a little trouble on the first day but then they got better. If I had to single one rider out, I would mention Benoît Vaugrenard who worked tremendously near Thibaut. He never left him. Laurent Pichon worked hard and did a nice time trial event though he is not a specialist. I talked to Steve Morabito in the evening and he told me that he was a little surprised by the involvement of all the rider. He performs well with us

"I did the time trial at a moderate level," Pinot told Directvelo. "In twelve kilometers, you do not have time to manage your effort. There was therefore no questions to ask. It was important to go fast in the first part, with the wind. I did the climb as best I could.  I was aiming for a place in the top 5 in the time trial. I missed a bit of force. 

"I was at the Etoile de Bessèges to have a good time and work on automatisms with the team. The terrain was not made ​​for my climbing qualities. There were two days with echelons, a short time tiral... It's not where I was going to make a very good result. I'm glad to have finished my first stage race. But I'm disappointed with my time trial. I would have preferred to be in the top 5 today. If that had been the case, my week would have been totally successful. 

"But there is nothing alarming. I will now recover before going to the Tour of Oman. This race will be my first real test of the season. There will be a big competition, it will allow me to see where I stand compared to climbers."