Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ) has been the surprise package of this cobbled Classics season so far, even without quite having the results to show for it, proving himself as a viable contender for Sunday’s Tour of Flanders.
Few riders are capable of following the likes of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) when they ignite the racing on the Belgian cobbles. However, Pithie did just that at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and Gent-Wevelgem respectively, albeit describing the latter as “hell on a bike”.
Both races were a touch too long and one climb too many for the young Kiwi as he faded under the power of Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Van Aert and Van der Poel. On track for top ten results at both races, he finally fell away to 43rd and 26th. But his potential was evident.
Pithie admitted that “Just not getting too excited” was probably the biggest thing he’d learned from following the superstars' wheels.
“It’s always easy when you’re with those types of guys to try and show how good you are and get carried away. But I’m trying to stay a bit calmer in those finals and learn and see how they race,” Pithie said to Cyclingnews at the start of Dwars door Vlaanderen.
“I haven’t been able to stay with them till the line yet, so if I can learn a little bit each race, hopefully I’ll get closer and closer.”
But in what is his debut at Flemish Holy Week, the 21-year-old was still pleased with where he was despite stating that he was missing some depth.
“It’s been good, I just missed a little bit at the pointy end of a race but I can be happy. I’ve got the power, I’m just missing a little bit of endurance,” Pithie said.
“I’m just chasing that result still. For sure I’m surprising myself at each race but I’m happy to be there.”
The Tour of Flanders is even longer than Gent-Wevelgem, which saw Pithie fade away from Pedersen and Van der Poel on the final ascent of the Kemmelberg. But even so, he’ll be part of a three-leader strategy at Groupama-FDJ with former podium finisher Valentin Madouas and consistent Classics performer Stefan Küng.
“Normally, we will have three cards to play with Laurence, Valentin and myself,” Küng said after his third-place finish at Dwars door Vlaanderen.
“Our characteristics match each other well so if we can all be there and play off each other in the final, it will be a good race,” Pithie said before Wednesday’s race which didn’t play out as planned but should be their tactic again on Sunday.
Pithie didn’t feature much at Dwars door Vlaanderen as an untimely flat tyre and bike change coincided with racing kicking off in front and he was forced into a futile chase for much of the middle phase. He ended the race as a DNF.
Sunday will be a new day on his debut at the Tour of Flanders but he’s not setting any outrageous ambitions in just his second Monument appearance.
“I’m super excited [for Flanders]. No expectations, again it's a long race with a whole new dynamic,” Pithie said to Cyclingnews.
“It's a Monument so everyone is extra motivated and can give a little bit more. So I’m super motivated and I’ll try and be up there.”
With Van Aert out after his horror crash on Wednesday and Pedersen hindered from the same incident for Flanders, Groupama-FDJ’s chances of finding the podium have increased. Pithie, Madouas and Küng are surely all capable of staying with Van der Poel if they can use their numbers correctly.
Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia
In his second season on the Groupama-FDJ WorldTour team, Pithie is set to ride his first Grand Tour in May at the Giro d’Italia, where he’ll be aiming for a stage win after his flying start to the season.
He opened 2024 with a bang as he took his first WorldTour win at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, before bringing the same form to Europe and enjoying a stint in the yellow jersey at Paris-Nice.
“I’m still supposed to be going to the Giro so hopefully I can finish the Classics strongly and then build up for that,” Pithie said.
“You’ve gotta have ambitious goals, so I’ll go there with the goal to try and win a stage.”
He is set to have stiff competition in the sprints as he did at Paris-Nice with the likes of Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) provisionally down to take the Giro start in Venaria Reale. But his versatility should present him with more opportunities on punchier days.
Kooij took two wins at Paris-Nice with Pithie close behind but the Kiwi said he was up for the challenge.
“I look forward to racing against him [Kooij]. He’s a super strong rider, super fast. He’s a little bit older than me so still got a year to catch up with him."
