"I'm certain he'll bring us great satisfaction at Tour de France" - Marc Madiot reveals who will be FDJ's main hope

For most of the peloton, Criterium du Dauphiné and Tour de Suisse served as final tests before the Tour de France. Groupama - FDJ certainly put their name out there, especially thanks to Romain Grégoire who won a stage and briefly led the GC in Switzerland.

"Romain rode a good Tour de Suisse. He achieved his initial goal, which was to win a stage. He did so on the first day, in difficult conditions, showing a lot of determination," team manager Marc Madiot says about the 22-year-old's race at Cyclism'Actu. "Then, he wore the yellow jersey for several days, which was a small bonus."

But he met his limit in the decisive stages where men like Joao Almeida were far superior. "Romain can handle the hills well; he's a puncher, but he's not a climber capable of tackling big climbs for several days in a row. We knew it would be tough, but he fought well," Madiot praises Grégoire. "Everything he's accomplished this week will allow him to be very ready for the Championship and especially for the Tour de France."

Moving over to Criterium du Dauphiné, the French team primarily focused on a good GC with their new acquisition - Guillaume Martin who finished 10th overall. "Guillaume is a very good stage racer," Madiot speaks highly of the 32-year-old. "He asserts himself over time and with the wear and tear of the peloton. He perfectly met our expectations this week in the Dauphiné."

It's his determination combined with consistency that makes 'the Philosopher' a valuable asset. "He may not be a very spectacular rider at first glance, but he's tenacious and mentally very strong. He never gives up. I'm certain he'll bring us great satisfaction at the Tour de France." There he should once again lead the team in general classification battle.

But what is the objective for Grande Boucle? It's clear that Groupama - FDJ goes all out with Grégoire, Martin, Valentin Madouas and David Gaudu all heading to Lille. "Like many teams in the "soft underbelly" of the World Tour peloton, our main goal is to secure a stage victory," Madiot makes it clear. "Then, to be as close as possible to the best, especially with Guillaume Martin."

Speaking of David Gaudu, the former 4th man of Tour de France rode a rather anonymous Giro d'Italia and we haven't heard much of him since. What will be his goals at Tour? "We'll take stock after the French championship. A Gaudu at his best can play in the same spheres as Guillaume. We'll see how he feels physically in the coming days, and we'll draw conclusions," Madiot concludes.