Ambitious David Gaudu into Criterium du Dauphiné: "My perfect week would be to get a stage and finish on the podium"

David Gaudu has had a strong season thus far and wants to continue proving his worth. The Tour de France is the big goal, but he comes into the Criterium du Dauphiné with the goal of finishing on the final podium.

Here he will battle with some riders including Jonas Vingegaard, who he beat at Paris-Nice. “I was better than him in Paris-Nice, but he was better in the Basque Country. It will be difficult to get on the podium, because Landa, Yates and Mas are all participating," the Frenchman acknowledges. He was the closest competitor to Tadej Pogacar in March, but also rode to a fourth place at Itzulia Basque Country later on.

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He enters the Dauphiné where he will likely lose time on some of his rivals in the time-trial, but will have a strong support crew in the mountains where he hopes to do some damage. Valentin Madouas will be here alongside Gaudu but also French youngster Lenny Martínez will be doing some work uphill. With no Arnaud Démare - who will be at the Tour - here the team focuses on the GC alone.

“The goal is the general classification. My perfect week would be to get a stage and finish on the podium. Although I have to say: the podium alone would also be fantastic," Gaudu concludes. In his four participations, Gaudu's best result at the Dauphiné was a ninth place back in 2021.

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