He is a regular at the ups and downs. This beginning of Vuelta, the Tour of Spain of Cycling, is a perfect summary of the career of David Gaudu. The French of the Groupama-FDJ shone at the start of the event, winning the 3rd stage (August 25) and then winning the leading leader’s red jersey the next day, before entering the rank, diving into the ranking. He now points to the 46th position at 31 ″ from the leader Le Norwegien Torstein Træen who ahead of the favorite Jonas Vingegaard of 37 seconds.
A blow of soft after his two shots which does not seem to alarm it too much. This Monday, September 1, the 28 -year -old runner took advantage of the rest day to make a team outing in the morning, take “a coffee all together” with his partners and then answer a few questions to the videoconferencing press. “It was the best start of the Vuelta that we could hope for,” said the interested party on his face and “soothed”.
For him and his team, “the Vuelta is already successful thanks to this stage victory at the pedal and the red jersey”. “Even if it lasted two and a half days, it could hardly hope to be better especially after the galley months that I had,” he continues. It’s reassuring. It shows the team that they can trust me and that I am able to compete with the best if I am 100 %, I know that I can do great things. »»
“Given my level of Ain’s turn (early August), some had to wonder how I could go from the gruppetto to a victory over the Vuelta, he has fun. I had found some sensations in training but I did not think I was so strong with a stage victory. It may be this backlash that I paid afterwards. »»
He develops. “I have been so galley since February, whether on the Giro, the non-participation in the turn, or the Tour of the catastrophic ain … I think there was a big emotion discharge (After the stage victory and the leader jersey). I needed a few days to get back to it. My body has said a little stop for two or three days, but it will get back in naturally behind. We only did nine days of racing, it is still on which we can show ourselves. »»
The Finistérien therefore addresses the continuation of the race with ambition, appetite, the desire to “find sensations”, “take pleasure” and “go and seek other results”. He has already checked a few steps in his head. History to show that his beginning of Vuelta was not an accident.
« Bilbao (11th stage, Wednesday September 3), which remains a good memory of the Tour de France in 2023 (10th of the stage), could be a great opportunity for me, there is also an arrival at Angliru (13th stage, Friday 5), a mythical place, and another at Lake Somiedo, the Alto de la Farrapona (14th stage on Saturday 6), where I have already won in 2020, he specifies. This can correspond to me. We want to achieve great performances. We don’t give up. The pressure to win a first step is passed, we will put the pressure to win a second step but that one is completely different. »»
If the madwoman starts from Vuelta is finally digested, the Groupama-FDJ can therefore hope to go back on the podium. “In the team we have young people who have long teeth,” says Gaudu. Brieuc (Rolland) made 8th on a mountain stage, Thibaut (Gruel) manages well in the sprint (6th in the 8th stage), and we have rollers which can also stand out in escapes. We are going to run released to get the best results. We don’t want to stop there. »»
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