"I came second again, but now second behind Pogačar" - Mixed reactions for David Gaudu as he comes up short of Paris-Nice win

David Gaudu is a strong climber, and has put his form to good use today at Paris-Nice. He was close to a big victory ahead of a very strong lineup, but came up just short as he had to handle Tadej Pogacar's dominant climbing prowess.

“We immediately saw that we should not follow Vingegaard's first attack. Everyone really thought the same thing. We wanted them to put on the show and battle it out to see who was the strongest," Gaudu said after finishing second on the day. The Frenchman played his cards perfectly, attacking right after the duo was caught inside the final climb and taking a constant pace all throughout. “I saw that nobody was following me at first," he explained. 

Gaudu managed to latch on Pogacar after he dropped the rest of the competition, another well timed tactical move. " [I] knew there was a flatter part coming up, so I tried to follow him on the last bit. But in the sprint he was stronger,” the Groupama - FDJ leader admits. A very strong performance saw him finish second on the day and climb to second on the GC with a large buffer, but there is a mix between satisfied and disappointed for not having been able to take the stage win.

“I came second again, but now second behind Pogačar. That's it. There are just not that many opportunities to beat them uphill. But I am happy with my form. This was a first test, but I have to stay focused. And tomorrow Arnaud Démare has a sprint chance," he concluded.