"Riders need to do something else" - David Gaudu's coach on the importance of other interest during the off-season as Frenchman completes ASICS SaintéLyon

Finishing second last weekend at the legendary trail running event, ASICS SaintéLyon, David Gaudu has definitely been keeping himself fit over the off-season. According to his coach, David Han, every rider needs to find something to keep them occupied during the winter. 

"We sought to diversify so that his winter would not be too long," explains Han in conversation with Eurosport post-race at ASICS SaintéLyon. "We first reconsidered the athlete before the cyclist. Trail running was part of this logic. He cycled of course but also Mountain biking, swimming and running."

Han believes that Gaudu turning his attention to trail running over the winter months is no different to what we see every festive period in cyclocross as the likes of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert keep themselves active and in good racing shape.

"Riders need to do something else,” Han explains. "It doesn’t bother anyone seeing Van der Poel or Van Aert doing cyclocross, it's the same thing."

So can we expect more such efforts from Gaudu this winter? "That will be for after his career," Han concludes with a smile. "For now, SaintéLyon was the maximum.”