Climber David Gaudu competes with Tadej Pogacar. The Frenchman finished in the same as the Slovenian this Wednesday, during the fifth stage of the Tour de France whose arrival was in Laruns. David Gaudu is thus in tenth place overall, 1 minute 56 seconds behind the new yellow jersey Jai Hindley.
French climber David Gaudu, ninth in the fifth stage of the Tour de France arriving in Laruns on Wednesday, finished at the same time as Tadej Pogacar: “It feels good for the head” appreciated the Breton. “In the group of favorites, I’m falling behind Vingegaard and Pogacar, in the third curtain. On the climb, there were only five or six of us left, so it’s good for the head”, underlined the leader of Groupama-FDJ, left the Critérium du Dauphiné in doubt after his 30th place 25 minutes behind the defending champion in the Grande Boucle.
“I felt good”
After five days, he is in tenth place in the general classification, 1 minute and 56 seconds behind the new Australian yellow jersey Jai Hindley. But he is less behind (1 minute and 9 seconds) on defending champion Jonas Vingegaard before another hearty mountain stage on Thursday with the Aspin and Tourmalet passes and the climb to Cauterets-Cambasque on the menu. “I felt good all day, so it bodes well, describes David Gaudu, who stayed at the foot of the podium last year. But the Tour is still very, very long, it was only the first mountain stage , we haven’t made it to the top yet.”
Same satisfaction with his general manager Marc Madiot, who retains a “good day”. “We wanted to have a runner in front, we had Valentin (Madouas) who gave a hand in the final.” “We are rather calm,” he said. In the last week of the Tour, you will have to be solid, have reserves and David is more of a rider who finishes his big laps well.