ultras, tears and fondue… At the heart of the “Pinot bend” for the Frenchman’s last race

“At my brother’s wedding, I didn’t cry. But there, I cried”, makes Geoffrey, in his twenties, feel guilty. His eyes are still red with emotion, around 4:50 p.m., when he falls into the arms of his friend Stéphane, just as moved. “My girlfriend just texted me to tell me she finally understands why I love cycling”, laughs the latter, dressed in a BIC jersey from the Jacques Anquetil era. A few meters behind them, tears are still streaming down the face of Rémi, haggard, sitting on the steps, the megaphone at half-mast.

After having launched countless chants for more than seven hours, this founding member of the “Collectif Ultras Pinot” this time no longer has the words. Around him, in the streets of Bergamo, everyone congratulates each other, and repeats: “We could say we were there.” In a trembling voice, Rémi realizes: “It’s over this time. We won’t see Thibaut on a bike anymore…”. A few seconds earlier, Thibaut Pinot broke through this crowd of several hundred French people, who had come for him, for this strange farewell party.

“I didn’t expect there to be so many people. It was real chaos, a real mess as I like it. It was crazy, an intense moment”will savor the French climber a few minutes later at the finish of the 2023 Tour of Lombardy, which will forever remain his last race. “I will remember it all my life. […] I’m not world champion but I have the best audience in the world.” even the young 33-year-old retiree even laughs, at the end of a day like no other.

Bergamo the blue, white, red

It must be said that this day did not begin at sunrise, but the day before, and in several places at the same time. For the supporters, there were first conversations in terminal 2B at Roissy, where flights to Milan were full. Where they were also able to bring out the still fresh memories of the “Pinot turn” of the last Tour de France.

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There was then, for the main person concerned, a press point in his hotel in Albavilla, in the afternoon. Above all, there was a start of partying in the evening, in the city center of Bergamo. At the end of the victory of the XV of France against Italy, several dozen members of the Collectif Ultras Pinot (CUP) shouted. Simple introduction.

The real party started on Saturday at 9:30 a.m., in the heart of Bergamo. Nestled at the foot of the Alpine foothills, the city was waking up as the final preparations for the Tour of Lombardy were in full swing. To be honest: there wasn’t a cat, and not a sound. Until the sudden rise of a clamor coming from the Plaza della Liberta. Several hundred French supporters were already warming their vocal cords.

“When we opened the café this morning, we didn’t know!”smiles Sara, waitress, taken aback between two ristrettos by this strange crowd. Especially since it’s a quiet place in Bergamo, not the one where people come to party.”. The CUP has no plans to stay here anyway: at around ten o’clock, the procession like football supporters sets off to attack the old town, which can be seen on the hill.

The Curva Pinot is set ablaze

The joyful transhumance lasts a good hour, taking narrow streets through the ramparts. While the songs in praise of the Franche-Comté runner continued, the police estimated that 350 people made up the procession. This happy bazaar intrigues passers-by. Smartphones are out, and so are smoke bombs. The euphoria reigns so much that the CUP misses the turn in which it is supposed to establish itself, according to the agreement concluded with the organization of the race. The runners have not yet set off as the “Curva Pinot” (Pinot bend in Italian) is already taken.

The beer tap (which will quickly run out) is plugged in, while the fondue sets are prepared. “We managed to climb up, but not sure we’ll come down so easily”, Lucas laughs, a glass of Génépi in his hand. Others have not yet uncapped anything, too busy painting the road to the glory of “Tibopino”.

You would then have thought that the Curva Pinot would save itself, in preparation for the big moment. On the contrary: once lunch was eaten, the songs started again and never stopped against an eclectic musical background. If some took advantage of the four hours of waiting to go visit the old town just above, bite into a slice of pizza then an ice cream, the others stayed there, making noise as all the amateur cyclists passing by took the drawn before the professionals.

Thibaut Pinot’s family, present, had gone to sit at a restaurant when Marc Madiot, the historic manager of Groupama-FDJ, and therefore of Franc-Comtois, arrived. La Curva falls into collective hysteria (for the first time).

With a beer in hand, Marc Madiot savors the moment, and insists on a few safety points so as not to hinder the race. Either way, the local police arrive to make sure. All this under the eyes of several former teammates of Thibaut Pinot, including Jérémy Roy, already at the side of the road in 2018, when the Frenchman had just won his Tour of Lombardy.

“I wanted to be present for his last race, for the symbolism, and to thank him for being able to be by his side. For a discreet man like him, it’s a crazy party. But Thibaut loves going singing with the ultras at the stadium, so what could be more logical?”

Jérémy Roy, former teammate of Thibaut Pinot

at franceinfo: sport

Retired for five years, but still sharp, Jérémy Roy doesn’t miss a beat of this show that he has never seen in his fourteen-year career: “And we’re in Bergamo too, outside of vacation! Do you realize? It’s crazy!”. The crowd quickly thickened to approach a thousand supporters. As the peloton gets closer, part of the Groupama-FDJ staff joins this very dense crowd.

The messiah of Franche-Comté

Having left in his solo number for a long time, Tadej Pogacar is the first to go. Thibaut Pinot only arrives a few minutes later, amidst a deafening noise. The scene is almost biblical, like Moses splitting the sea in two. Everyone is trying to approach, touch the hero of the day, who enters this collective hysteria with his fist outstretched and a smile on his lips. This moment of grace (which turns into chaos for the runners behind him), awaited for more than seven hours, lasts only a few seconds. But no one regrets this temporal imbalance.

After these timeless moments, nostalgia strikes the crowd, which sets off towards the team paddock. This final procession, initially inhibited by emotion, regains its initial enthusiasm when it returns to the shopping streets of Bergamo, without ever stopping singing. The craziest is yet to come because the CUP was invited to join the Groupama-FDJ bus for a last tribute. In the usual sanctuary cordoned off by the race organization, the faithful in a trance hope to see Thibaut Pinot one last time in his costume of light.

The bus in question is at the very end of the straight, which lengthens the walk and slows down several buses from other teams on the start. The riders of the French team Arkea Samsic observe this slow procession. After a slight wait, the idol gets out of his bus.

Perched on a small crate alongside Marc Madiot, he speaks. The chants last for a few more minutes, before the crowd disperses, to respect the shy nature of its hero. But they know they will see him again soon. If Thibaut Pinot definitely got off the saddle this Saturday, he left Bergamo with a promise addressed to his audience: “Next year, we’ll see each other, because I’ll come and sing with you”. The question is: for whom?