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I think Pinot’s descending is far better than you think. He had one, high publicity, off day but has managed to finish GTs in the top ten since.
I don’t think the French team is riven with cliques in the way that, say, the Italian team used to be, and they can ride as a cohesive unit. Alaphilippe is by far their best chance of a medal, so going all in for him would seem to be their best option. That said, using Bardet or Pinot to cover breaks in the second half of the race would make sense as then they can let other teams lead the chase.
Definitely - he's clearly in form, has a good sprint and a track record of winning one day races. Both Bardet and Pinot would be useful assets for the French team, but they aren't regular winners so you'd give them a free role with the brief that if Alaphillipe is in contention on the final climb then it's all in for him.