Cédric Pineau (FDJ.fr) has has 99 racing days in 2014. He is the third most active riders behind Tom Veelers (Giant, 103 days) and Albert Timmer (Giant, 100), tied with Adam Hansen and Sander Armee (Lotto-Belisol).

"I have had 100 racing days which is not bad," Thibaut Pinot's roommate at last year's Tour de France told L'Equipe. "I am one of the riders that has been racing the most. I have done two grand tours, the Tour de France and the Vuelta. That's 42 days. And I should even have done more after the Vuelta. I was on the roster for the Tour de Vendee and the Tour of Beijing but I had a problem with the eye which forced me stop earlier than expected."

The problem for domestiques is that they are rarely rewarded for their efforts. Pineau has not been given a lot of chances to ride for himself.

"Third in Tro Bro Leon," he said when asked about his best result. "It was one of the few races where I could play my own card. In general, I had a freer role in the Coupe de France races."

Instead, his role has been to ride for his teammates.

"I am primarily riding as a domestique and I get my best emotions when the leaders achieve the results we were dreaming about. We managed to help our leader Thibaut (Pinot) finish on the podium (in the Tour de France). I mainly work for him on the flats in the valleys but I surprised myself in the Pyrenees."

With so many race days, some of them are naturally harder than others.

"The end of the Vuelta was a bit difficult," he said. "Our two leaders Nacer (Bouhanni) and Thibaut (Pinot) abandoned quickly and in the last week, we were only four in the team. Four teammates! I felt a little lost. I tried to join the breakaways but I did not know how to do it. It's no longer a habit."

In 2015, Pineau is again expected to support Pinot.

"I do not know yet," he said when asked about his race schedule. "I have started the discussions with [sports director] Julien Pinot. My schedule is generally very similar to Thibaut's. I know I will mainly be doing stage races. My first race will be the Tour Down Under at the end of January."