If David Gaudu had some legitimate ambitions at the start of Paris-Nice after finishing second in 2023, they evaporated on the roads leading to Mont Brouilly following a stupid fall that occurred after trying to take off his overcoat. “I made a mistake as a cadet, as a minor, even as a youngest,” he admitted after the finish. Torn by persistent back pain, the leader of the Groupama-FDJ team then dragged out his misery for three days before giving up at the start of the 8th and final stage in Nice.
Since then, the Breton has returned home to observe a few days of rest and then undergo additional examinations in order to know the exact nature of the illness. On Wednesday, when he was expected to get back on his bike gently, Jacky Maillot, the team doctor, said that Gaudu was suffering from a “sacroiliac muscle and ligament injury”, otherwise a discomfort felt at the joints of the pelvic bones located at the bottom of the spine.
For now, while waiting to establish an exact recovery time, the Breton rider will have to extend his rest period by a week before knowing if participation in the Tour of the Basque Country (April 1-6) still remains open. news. “We really hope that he can be at the start,” confided Philippe Mauduit, the sporting director of the Groupama-FDJ team. If everything progresses normally, we would then perhaps have him do one or two days of racing beforehand for a gradual return to competition. But we are not there yet. At the end of the week, we will have a little clearer ideas. »
