Cold sweats. By more than 38°. The day after the rest stage in Clermont-Ferrand, the Groupama-FDJ team had in mind to launch an attack and applied themselves to it from the start during the 10th stage Vulcania-Issoire. Before being overtaken and stopped by the bad feelings of David Gaudu, its leader.
The Breton, often the first of the leaders put in difficulty in the passes, this Tuesday suffered from entry. And Marc Madiot’s team quickly abandoned their desire for a great escape, a spectacular rise in the general classification to save the soldier Gaudu who admitted to “heat stroke”, before emerging unscathed from a day which, a once again, illustrated its limits of the moment. After 10 of the 21 stages on the program, David Gaudu (4th in 2022) is in 9th place in the general classification (6’01” from Jonas Vingegaard), 3’21” from 3rd place occupied by the Australian Jay Hindley.
His teammates devote themselves tirelessly but Thibaut Pinot who is living his last Tour and Valentin Madouas the French champion, in particular, shouldn’t they benefit from more freedom rather than defending a place in the general classification which seems to be carried like a burden? ?
David Gaudu dreamed that he and his training could achieve a spectacular double blow, like Jay Hindley in Laruns (winner of the 5th stage) and Peillo Bilbao (triumphant, this Tuesday in Issoire). A bouquet and a great operation to climb the stairs in the general classification. The legs did not follow. Hence the questions about the relevance of the strategy to pursue. Because the podium seems to move away a little more every day. And the stages go by, the chances fly away.
The team keeps, for the moment, all its eggs in the pockets of the same bib. To defend an ambition and a construction that aims and will aim for the general classification beyond this Tour. Whatever the price to pay. Difficult in these conditions to stop everything suddenly along the way. But if events continued to unfold badly, some could see their wings grow. To not finish fanny…