Pinot labels Preidler's blood extraction as 'high treason'
Thibaut Pinot has said that he feels betrayed by Groupama-FDJ teammate Georg Preidler, who confessed to extracting his blood for a possible transfusion on two occasions late last year. In an interview with L'Équipe on Tuesday, Pinot described Preidler's actions as "high treason."
On Sunday, Preidler informed Groupama-FDJ management that he was quitting the team after he confessed to having his blood extracted to Austrian police. Fellow Austrian rider Stefan Denifl has also confessed to blood doping after being interviewed by police as part of the 'Operation Aderlass' blood doping inquiry. Pinot learned of Preidler's confession via social media on Monday morning.
"When I saw it, I was stunned," Pinot told L'Équipe. "I didn't expect that at all, especially coming from a guy like that. It was really difficult. I even shed a tear, because for me, it was high treason.
"I can't digest it, I'm trying to understand. Yesterday I wasn't able to train. This morning, I went and did two hours on the bike, but I didn't think about anything other than that because I have so many questions with no answers. It's running around my head."
Preidler signed for Groupama-FDJ from Sunweb at the beginning of 2018 and was part of the group of climbing domestiques that followed a broadly similar racing programme to Pinot. The Austrian was by Pinot's side at the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España last year, and he helped him to win the Tour du Haut-Var last week.
Pinot said that his sense of betrayal was all the more acute because Preidler had become a friend during their season together at Groupama-FDJ.
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