Thibaut Pinot showed he is a great shape currently at the Tour de Suisse. But the FDJ leader regretted that Arnold Jeannesson, a key French team domestique, will not be present at the Tour de France. Indeed, after his crash at the Grand Prix de la Somme, Jeannesson returned at the Critérium du Dauphiné last week hoping to find his legs again but pulled out on stage 6.

"After riding the first five stages of the Dauphiné, we set out on the sixth stage stage in the rain on a hilly route with more than 3800 metres of elevation, and I didn’t have the strength to finish the stage. I abandoned in the feed zone after 110km of racing. I therefore left the Dauphiné disappointed because I came with good physical condition in the hope of preparing for the Tour de France, but after my last crash I was scared of being in the peloton and I stayed at the back", he explained according the team website.

"I take no pleasure in finding stages never-ending. My programme is going to be cut down and after the French national championships I am going to take a holiday. I will therefore not do the Tour de France this year."