Frenchman Thibaut Pinot won’t race in Giro due to back pain

<p>PARIS &mdash; Frenchman Thibaut Pinot will not compete in the Giro d’Italia because of lingering back pain related to a crash in the Tour de France last year, his team announced on Saturday.</p>
<p>The 30-year-old Pinot has struggled with injuries since his promising third-place finish in the Tour de France in 2014.</p>
<p>The Groupama-FDJ rider crashed in the opening stage of last year’s Tour and finished 29th in the general classification. He then abandoned the Spanish Vuelta after two stages.</p>
<p>Pinot participated in the Tour of the Alps, which Britain’s Simon Yates won on Friday, but said his back pain worsened.</p>
<p>“I’m not in the medical condition to shine in the Giro,” he said in a statement. “I would unnecessarily suffer and I would not be able to help the team. Not racing in the Giro d’Italia is heartbreaking."</p>
<p>The Giro starts in Turin on May 8.</p>
<p>The team said Pinot will continue with treatments but that there’s no timetable for his return.</p>
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