Having abandoned the Vuelta a Espana, Thibaut Pinot returned to competition in yesterday's Tour du Doubs. The Frenchman is apparently back in good form as he was a key animator and finished the race in fourth.

Thibaut Pinot never played any role in the Vuelta a Espana and abandoned the race at the midpoint, citing fatigue. However, he made it clear that he intended to return to form in time for the Tour of Lombardy and apparenly he is on the right track.

Yesterday he and Rein Taaramae were the key animators in the Tour du Doubs, with the pair creating the decisive breakaway in the early part of the race. In the end, he was unable to follow the in-form Estonian but he ended the race in a fine fourth.

"Given the fatigue that took himout of the Vuelta, this is a satsifactory comeback," his sports director and brother Julien Pinot said. "In the finale, he knew that Taaramae was superior. He attacked on the Cote de Larmont but was countered bu the Cofidis rider who won. Tulik finished second at thirty seconds and he was beaten by Perichon in the sprint for third."

"I'm a little disappointed, I would have liked to win at home," Thiabut Pinot told Directvelo. "Rein Taaramäe was the strongest. He countered me on the Cote de Larmont. The others let me do the work but that is normal. I missed the third place by very little but it is still a fourth place. I am happy even if it is just a Coupe de France race and not the Tour of Lombardy.

 
"Today I was good  but I was a little tired in the finale. I have not done a ride of more than four hours since I abandoned the Vuelta. 

"The Tour of Lombardy is my big goal in the final part of the season. I will soon do the Grand Prix de Wallonie and the Tour du Gevaudan. They are races where I can fight for victory which does not happen very often."