Thibaut Pinot may have finished on the podium in the Tour de France but when he lines up at the Vuelta a Espana, his goal will be a stage win and the mountains jersey. Instead, Kenny Elissonde will be riding for GC while FDJ also hopes to win a few sprint stages with Nacer Bouhanni.

After finishing third overall and best young rider under an intense pressure at the Tour de France, Thibaut Pinot will target a stage win and the King of the Mountain competition at the Vuelta a España starting from Jerez de la Frontera on August 23.

On the eve of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Leeds on July 4, Thibaut Pinot made an interesting point when everyone was focused on the world’s biggest race that was just about to kick off.

“I’m looking forward to the Vuelta”, the Frenchman said. “I just love this race. Shall I do well on GC here, I’ll be able to go to the Vuelta with no pressure and ride for a stage win and the King of the Mountain competition.”

The Tour de France went beyond expectation for the FDJ.fr climber. But he didn’t modify his race program, neither his state of mind even though he now belongs to the circle of the top champions.

“One week ahead of the start at Jerez de la Frontera, I still feel the fatigue from the Tour de France”, Pinot realized. “I’ve had a two-week break. I went for a holiday and I rode three criteriums. On August 11, I resumed training but I don’t feel like I’m back in a good shape yet.”

Pinot underlined that the Vuelta played an important role in his career.

“Last year I was coming out of a failure at the Tour de France”, he remembered. “At the Vuelta, I fought with the best riders every day (7th overall). It put me back on track for a solid preparation of the 2014 season.

"But I haven’t won a race this year yet. I don’t want to go for my winter break without raising my hands up in the air. Climbs are difficult in Spain. I like them. I want to win a stage.”

“I don’t know I’ll overcome the fatigue, that’s all”, Pinot continued. “I hope that my team-mate [and last year’s winner at the Angliru] Kenny Elissonde will ride for GC. Or else Alexandre Geniez [who also won a mountain stage at Peyragudes last year] could be the man. It would be something good for my team to focus on and it would make me free from handling the responsibilities. I want to ride for the fun of it.”

Geniez won't be lining up in Spain after he fell ill during the Tour de Pologne. Hence, Elissonde will be the team's sole GC rider.

FDJ.fr is also expected to shine at the Vuelta in the bunch sprints with three time Giro d’Italia stage winner Nacer Bouhanni who claimed stage 4 at the Eneco. He will be supported by his trusted lead-put men Geoffrey Soupe and Murilo Fischer.

Anthony Roux will be on hand to target the sprints on some of the hillier stages while like Johan Le Bon, he may give it a go in one of the two time trials. The team is completed by loyal domestiques Cedric Pineau and Laurent Mangel.

FDJ for the Vuelta

Nacer Bouhanni, Thibaut Pinot, Kenny Elissonde, Geoffrey Soupe, Laurent Mangel, Murilo Fischer, Anthony Roux, Johan Le Bon, Cedric Pineau