Gaudu's fitness mystery has been going on for too long: FDJ plan in-depth medical tests to explain poor performances
CyclingTuesday, 18 August 2026 at 09:00
David Gaudu is supposed to be one of the leading figures at Groupama - FDJ United. But, baring few glimpses, the 29-year-old Frenchman has been largely underwhelming in his races and hasn't scored a single UCI point for three months now. As the team has lost its patience, thorough medical examinations will be carried out to get down to the bottom of Gaudu's mysterious fitness problems.
Things went south after spring
Gaudu did not kick off the new season at a visibly poor level. His 9th place on Jebel Hafeet, 8th place in Paris-Nice echelon-mared stage 4, and top-15 finishes in key stages of Volta a Catalunya would not immediately strike out as a problem existed back then.
However since the Spanish stage race, Gaudu has not been able to take a step further; instead a 5th place at 1.1 French Cup race Boucles de l'Aulne was the start to Gaudu's long-streak of gruppetto finishes and even DNFs. His most recent appearance at La Polynormande (1.1) was over after just one hour of racing...
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For Groupama - FDJ United management, this was the final drop. Gaudu will be placed out of competition after the issue causing his inability to perform at a desired level is resolved. As soon as possible, the team will search for answers, hoping to get Gaudu back on rails with view to the future where they might end up in the battle for WorldTour license (currently 20th in the ranking, trailing by almost 500 points).
The issue has to be resolved
"After a start to the season that allowed him to rebuild a solid athletic base, David is currently going through a more difficult period and has not been able to fully regain his fitness," reads the statement issued by the French team.
"To consolidate the work done in recent months and gather all the information necessary to plan the next steps, David will undergo a series of in-depth medical tests. The results will allow the team to personalize its support, both in terms of training and in defining his next competitive calendar. The team remains fully committed to supporting David during this period and helping him return to peak fitness."
Gaudu has been part of the French team for a decade now, and will continue to wear its colours until at least the end of 2027. His most outstanding results include three stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana (most recent in 2025) and a fourth place overall at the 2022 Tour de France.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- The backlash Jonas faces when retiring for the season, after the TdF, is abhorrent to me - for many reasons. Aside from the fact it is entirely his/his team's prerogative, the man has had 94 race days since last year's Tour, less than the majority of the peloton (inc. Tadej), and has raced every consecutive GT since the 25' TdF, winning 2 of them, and coming 2nd in another. Cut the guy a damn break.anonymouscyclist18-08-2026
- You consider that an obligation and an honour it seems, maybe wish for war so you can prove (even just to yourself) you can also serve YOUR country better?Mistermaumau18-08-2026
- Great, goid for cycling. AND, that’s the story of cycling, it can also happen to Tadej and in the end, it’s always the next generation.Mistermaumau18-08-2026
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- In this argument!Mistermaumau18-08-2026
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- HopefullyMistermaumau18-08-2026
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- call me old fashioned, but representing my country means something to me. and if my countrymen said they needed help in a race, I'd pull for them. especially knowing a guy like Mads would work for me if the situation was reversed. what makes one a team player is doing something when it isn't all about oneself. and I'm sorry the "woe is me" attitude of someone that makes 5 million euro a year for riding a bike is a bit off putting to me.mij18-08-2026
- yeah I guess that was a stupid and obvious question LOLmij18-08-2026
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