"A team's life doesn't end with the Tour de France" - Madiot laments but supports David Gaudu's decision to skip Tour

David Gaudu has been struggling to achieve good form and after a very disappointing Giro d'Italia, he's also not been able to improve to the level he hoped for. Hence he opted out of the Tour de France, a decision understood by Groupama-FDJ manager Marc Madiot.

"He's been constantly stuck in pitfalls, crashes, and downward spirals. We tried to gradually recover in races, to get back on track at the Giro, but he fell back again," Madiot said in an interview with RMC Sport.

"For the Tour, you have to be at 100%. Rather than chasing time, we're doing a reset. The goal is to get him back to his best for the Vuelta and the rest of the season, all the way to China."

In the past Gaudu has gotten very good form at the Vuelta a España, which should also have a more modest startlist in which he could fight for stronger results. Last year, after being completely absent from the action at the Tour, he went on to finish the Vuelta in sixth place and then win the queen stage of the Tour de Luxembourg - with a Top10 at Il Lombardia wrapping up a successful season finale.

Groupama will still head to the Tour with a highly promising team including Romain Grégoire, Valentin Madouas and Guillaume Martin amongst others and can aim for the same objectives even without the 28-year old. "A team's life doesn't end with the Tour de France. We want to get David back to his best, but in good conditions and without chasing lost time," Madiot concluded.