David Gaudu to begin season almost exclusively on home roads in preparation for yellow jersey push at the Tour de France

Groupama-FDJ have decided the start to David Gaudu's 2023 season, with the Frenchman opting for an almost exclusive ride within his home nation.

Getting underway on February 17th at the Tour des Alpes Maritimes et du Var, Gaudu will then move on to the Ardèche Classic a week later on February 25th, a race he was victorious in twelve months ago. After racing the Drôme Classic the following day, the former two-time Vuelta stage winner will compete at Paris-Nice between the 5th and the 12th of March.

As the main goal of his season, the Tour de France draws nearer, Gaudu will ramp up his levels of preparation by racing in the Tour of the Basque Country between April 3rd and 8th, before making the short trip over the French border to Belgium for Liege-Bastogne-Liege on April 23rd.

Finally, everything comes to a head for the Groupama climber on Saturday the 1st of July as Gaudu returns to the Tour de France, looking to improve on his 4th placed finish in the general classification from last year and possibly emulate his teammate Thibaut Pinot in finishing on the podium of the biggest race on any Frenchman's calendar.