Greig Leach

Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) started the only Time Trial of the 101st Tour de France in second place just barely ahead of his countryman and former teammate, Jean-Christophe Peraud (AG2R). The younger French man, did all he could to stay even with Peraud but even with the AG2R rider's flat tire, the wearer of the White Jersey of best young rider was not able to best the older Frenchman. Pinot road has hard as he could taking every necessary risk to save as many seconds as possible. While losing the Maillot Blanche was not a realistic prospect, he wanted to ensure that he stayed on the podium in Paris. This is the best showing by the French in their home Tour in forty years, today confirming their hold on second and third place and the White Jersey. Along the way their have garnered two stage victories and treated their fans to some serious bike racing. With a third young countryman in the top six, the future of French cycling is very bright indeed.