The thermal shock is simply too brutal. Coming from Franche-Comté where the temperature had stabilized at 0° last week, Thibaut Pinot has faced extreme heat in the first two stages of the Tour of Oman. It didn't matter in the first stage but it was much more complicated on stage 2 which was won by Fabian Cancellara.

"From the first climb, Thibaut was in trouble and fell behind," sports director Martial Gayant said. "With the help of Yoann Offredo, he managed to rejoin the bunch but he was again in trouble on the second ascent. He did his best but really had a bad day. Our goal in the overall standings are impossible to achieve but there is still a way to win a stage, tomorrow perhaps with Arnaud Démare who did well today, or later on the Green Mountain if Thibaut has recovered."

While no rider of the FDJ team could follow the first group led by Cancellara, Steve Morabito was present in the second group alongside the last winner of the Tour de France Vincenzo Nibali.

"Every night, I fo to the rooms and talk to each of my riders," Gayant added. "The day was rough but the morale is good. As Sébastien Chavanel said, a champion always goes through difficult times and today was bad for Thibaut today but it does not matter. You just have to accept it."