David Gaudu explains rollercoaster Vuelta a Espana so far: “Why not take another stage win?”

On the third day of the 2025 Vuelta a España, David Gaudu made a stunning return to form, outsprinting Jonas Vingegaard and Mads Pedersen for the stage victory and moving into the red jersey. For a brief moment, the Groupama – FDJ leader looked like a genuine GC contender. A week later, however, he has slipped out of the overall battle, and his focus has shifted to stage hunting.

"It was the best start to the Vuelta we could have wished for," Gaudu told DirectVelo. "I've been in such a difficult situation since February, never finding my true form, whether it was the Giro, not participating in the Tour... And a disastrous Tour de l'Ain right after the altitude training camp. There was a huge emotional outburst."

The Frenchman admitted his body needed time to recover. "I needed a few days to recover. My body told me to stop for two or three days, but I think it'll pick itself up again." He has already circled key stages. "Besides the stage in Madrid and the time trial, there are several other stages on the schedule. Tuesday will probably be a quiet recovery phase, but I'm thinking about the stage in Bilbao, and also the Angliru, and not to forget the finish at the Somiedo Lakes, where I already won in 2020."

Gaudu sees opportunities ahead. "Those are nice finishes that could suit me well," he said, making it clear he wants more than one victory. "We're not giving up. We've already won a stage, so that's one less pressure. We'll keep pushing ourselves to win again, but it's a completely different kind of pressure."

He also rejected any notion that his early form was a surprise act. "That wasn't a bluff at all. If you see my level in the Tour de l'Ain... I think some of the guys who were with me in the Tour de l'Ain group must have wondered how I went from that level to a stage in the Vuelta."

For Gaudu, the first week has already been a success, but he is hungry for more. "We can say our Vuelta was a success with a stage win and the red jersey. Even though it happened extremely early and we know very well that the first week can quickly be forgotten, this victory is important for me and my teammates. But we don't want to stop there. I want to get my feeling back, enjoy it, and why not take another stage win?"

"If I get back the legs I had at the start of the race, it's definitely possible," Gaudu concluded. "We'll be riding with freedom, and that way we can get another good result. Not just with me, but with all the riders."