"I was transparent with the team" - David Gaudu makes decision to skip Tour de France amidst lack of form

David Gaudu is a rider that not often finds his best form and that was certainly going to be the case if he were to start the Tour de France next week in Lille. Hence, the Groupama - FDJ leader made the decision to not be part of the race and seek results later in the season.

"Given my current level... I was transparent with the team. In any case, they share my values, my data, and so we decided together to skip the Tour this year," Gaudu said in words to L'Équipe. "Going there just to finish is pointless". 

"It's obviously a big disappointment. Especially since the Tour is passing through Bretagne this year and my loved ones were going to be able to come and see me". Gaudu has won a stage at this year's Tour of Oman, but ever since has been a shadow of himself.

His original plan was to chase a GC result at the Giro d'Italia where there was a more modest field and then hunt for stages at the Tour's mountainous days. None have come to be, as in the Giro he never had his best form and then a hand injury suffered in the first week prevented him from being competitive as a whole.

Still he remained with the same plan post-Giro, hoping to improve into the Tour. But that was not the case: "I gave myself until the end of last week to go back to training, do some more mountain passes, and do some exercises. But the feeling is still not good. The team has its strategy too".

The 28-year old is still unsure of why he can't reach his expected level, there are no answers to all questions: "We don't really have all the answers. I've had medical tests, everything is good, everything is normal".

However, he is now looking to rest up and prepare for the Vuelta a España instead, a race where he has in the past won two stages and finished a few times in the first positions. "The Vuelta saved my season in 2020 and last year. I never say two without three," he concluded.