Bytagand the publication "Pierre Thierry, a young pro in the wheel of the giants"
One clear spring morning, Pierre Thierry opened his door to 3bikes. Not only that of his home, but also, more subtly, that of his world. The young professional runner welcomed us with sincerity, far from the spotlights and podiums, to tell us what it is like really than becoming a WorldTour rider at just 21 years old. His daily life, his doubts, his joys, the pedal strokes in the void and the moments suspended in the light: it's all there. The portrait of a passionate man on the rise, lucid, humble, and resolutely determined.
By Jeff Tatard – Photos: DR / in thetagram Pierre Thierry
The shock of the big bath
He could have embellished it. He could have recited a speech. But Pierre Thierry prefers the real thing. From the first exchanges, he sets the tone: “ The difference is the climb to the WT level. 100% of the peloton is in great shape. The peloton never breaks, except when Pogacar or Van der Poel attack. »
He, who recently left the amateur ranks, is discovering what it means to ride among the greatest. Here, there is no question of " quickly find yourself in a small group to fight for the win" In the professional world, the density is overwhelming.Every attack is tracked, every weakness exploited.
But he's taking it in. He's learning. With every race, he's gaining ground, not necessarily in kilometers, but in maturity. In his head, he says: " It's a bit complicated to take a beating in every race. But I feel like I'm progressing as I go along. »
When the dream becomes real
There was a moment. A moment of change, of awareness.. Not a sprint or a podium, no. Someone chose something more intimate, more symbolic: " When I found myself alongside Pogacar, among the greatest teams in the world in Canada… The riders I watched on TV, I found myself among them, having to fight like them"
It was at that moment that Peter understood that he was inThat he was no longer the spectator but the actor. There was no escape. Just the ground, the legs, the heart, and everything he had built since childhood to finally find himself here.
A style under construction
He doesn't consider himself a runner yet. definedAt an age when many are still searching for their path, Pierre is exploring. Il teste, adapts, listens. But already, some certainties are emerging: " What suits me best are hilly courses with bumps. More for punchers. For the moment, the only way to perform is to play in breakaways. To be ahead of the curve. »
Its driving force is also the time trial. A demanding, almost scientific discipline, where every detail counts. It's this discipline that allowed me to achieve my first results among amateurs. And what I like is that around the time trial, there are always lots of new technologies."
This attention to progress, to materials, to the science of performance, speaks volumes about his rigor and curiosity.He is from that generation that does not separate the head from the legs.
Trials that shape
When asked what has left the biggest impression on him since turning pro, he cites Paris-Nice. Not for victory, but for the bitterness: "TAll week long, it was cold. It was raining, sometimes even snowing. And yet, the pace didn't slow down. It was full throttle. It was very hard. I ended up exhausted.
These sufferings do not discourage him. They educate him.. And when he speaks of the galleys, he does so directly: " Since turning pro, there have been a lot of them. And it shows that you don't become a good rider overnight. It takes work, and a lot of patience."
Perhaps this is Pierre's greatest strength: his awareness of time. In a world that celebrates the moment, he prefers to build.
Small joys, big emotions
But cycling isn't all about suffering.. It's also about camaraderie, reunions, the simple pleasure of riding together. He remembers the Tour de l'Avenir with emotion: " We found ourselves in the French team with the hopefuls my age. There was a great atmosphere. It felt good to come down a notch. It reminded me of my amateur years. »
A memory at a human height. The kind of moment that reminds us that behind the runner, there is a boy, a brother, a friend.
The perfect day, between rigor and freedom
When asked what a perfect day looks like, Pierre Thierry answers without hesitation: “ Wake up at 8 a.m., breakfast, muscle toning, 4-hour workout. Then dinner, nap. If the weather permits, a motorcycle ride. Then dinner, and bed.
A well-regulated routine, but in which he always inserts a little bubble of freedom. As if to preserve balance. The spirit. Joy.
Ties of blood and saddle
The arrival of his little brother in the professional peloton is a significant stepThey ride together, sometimes in the same team. And this proximity gives Pierre a new responsibility. The biggest piece of advice I gave him was to not burn out. Take it step by step. Don't do more than the coach asks."
He knows what it's like, that initial passion, that desire to prove oneself. But he also knows what it can cost. So he passes it on, with kindness and modesty. It's a blessing to have the same passion as your brother. »
And we feel, in this simple sentence, all the tenderness of a big brother.
A vision, an ambition
Pierre is not yet dreaming of winning the TourHe dreams more accurately, more essential: " to gain as much experience as possible, to stop making beginner's mistakes, to flourish, and to keep my energy up."
But he still has a scene in mind. A memory to revisit, to rewrite: " My victory in Plouay as an amateur, solo… If I can win a WorldTour race in the same way, that would be great.”
He dreams of reliving that raw emotion, but on a different stage. With different stakes. In front of the world.
Growing from the inside out
If there is one area in which he really wants to progress, it is self-knowledge. : " Understanding how my body reacts to training, to race sequences... And also growing in my way of running, reading the race better, making the effort at the right time."
Again, nothing flamboyant. Just immense lucidity, a real sense of the profession. Peter wants to understand before conquering.
In the shadow of giants, the light of a future
Pierre Thierry is not yet a star. But he is already much more than a hope. He is one of those runners who, far from the noise, trace their route with method, sincerity and passion.
In an era of loud promises and whirlwind careers, he embodies something else: a constructed project. A temperament. A story that is written slowly, but surely.
And perhaps one day, in Plouay or elsewhere, Pierre Thierry will raise his armsAnd on that day, those who have read these lines will understand that nothing was due to chance.
