David Gaudu discussion thread

[IndianCyclist]

The team needs Gaudu to win a stage /podium, Pinot to win a stage in his farewell tour for publicity and for Demare to win a stage. Gaudu needs a couple of domestiques(total 4) , Pinot none(total 1), Demare needs a sprint train(Total 3) easil;y manageable with 8 people and with Gaudu preferred. Now Gaudu has fallen off his podium spot, Pinot is slaving for a Gaudu dream, Demare is kicked out. Net result nothing, zilch, zero. The fault - Madiot for not keeping his team in line with the betterment of the team and pandering to petty jealousies.

 

[movingtarget]

Contador was already declining a bit around 10 years ago. I still think that the top contenders in that era where a level below Pogacar and Vingegaard today.

He peaked early. 2007-2011 were peak Contador. Quintana was the same 2013-2016 he was at his best.

 

[RedheadDane]

I just don't see how the fact that Pinot worked for Gaudu on stage 9 necessarily means that he'll not be allowed to stage hunt. He didn't make the break - for whatever reason - so in that situation it would have been a bit weird of him to not help Gaudu.

 

[Rollthedice]

It's the neverending French quest to find someone who can challenge for the Tour. Frankly Gaudu can't reach the level of a peak Pinot or Bardet. It is as simple as that, on his good days with a so and so competition Gaudu can top 10 and that's about all. Expectations are too high for him, maybe it got to his head, this year he is worse than last and there you have it. Free Pino!

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Well, Gaudu rides too slowly, at the moment, and that is a big problem.

We know Marc Madiot: Madiot publicly often speaks calm, but behind closed doors, will be furious if Gaudu won’t ride faster within the next two weeks.

Probably Madiot in the meantime got sick of the difficult characters of riders like Gaudu, Pinot or Demare. So I hope for the team that hopefuls like Gregoire, Martinez or Askey proof to be more „mature“ or professional characters.

Gaudu now just should go on: a Top10 in final GC of the Tour still is good. And Pinot can try to win a stage, but I rather doubt it. He‘s not fast enough, any more.

 

[Bolder]

4th was probably his Tour peak. He's just not an absolute A-Level climber. This is a conclusion I've come to reluctantly, because as a resident of France, we deserve to have a GC contender, if not for the Tour, then for any Grand Tour. But I don't think Gaudu is that guy.

 

[AlfaLum]

I think it would be good for Gaudu to go to the Giro next year. He can definitely podium there, and if he is a bit lucky with the opposition he might get close to a victory. Problem is that he is French of course so it won’t happen.

His biggest weakness seems to be racing in the heath. He often struggles then, especially on the first hot days.

 

[movingtarget]

Gaudu looks at about O''Connor's level at the moment. O'Connor has a 4th place in the Tour but has had trouble in subsequent grand tours with illness and crashes, something that also plagued Pinot for a while. So far not sure he's good enough to podium a GT in the future. I actually thought that Latour and Martin might have done better but it hasn't happened. One bad day cost Voeckler a podium in 2011 not to mention some bad tactics on the Tourmalet.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Well, Gaudu rides too slowly, at the moment, and that is a big problem.

No, it's the others who are going too fast!

 

[SafeBet]

4th was probably his Tour peak. He's just not an absolute A-Level climber. This is a conclusion I've come to reluctantly, because as a resident of France, we deserve to have a GC contender, if not for the Tour, then for any Grand Tour.

Targeting another GT once in a while might help.

I think it would be good for Gaudu to go to the Giro next year. He can definitely podium there, and if he is a bit lucky with the opposition he might get close to a victory. Problem is that he is French of course so it won’t happen.

It never stopped Pinot from racing the Giro when he wanted. Wouldn't be a problem for Madiot either, since Groupama is now a well rounded team who could chase stages in the Tour if there's no GC contender.

 

[Cookster15]

There are no “gimme’s” in cycling - you have to earn it. Sadly Gaudu may have reached his ceiling? But his competition isn’t exactly weakening either. But if he can surprise us I will be happy for him.

 

[Peter von]

There are no “gimme’s” in cycling - you have to earn it. Sadly Gaudu may have reached his ceiling? But his competition isn’t exactly weakening either. But if he can surprise us I will be happy for him.

tough to say. At least I don't think he has a lot more peak left in him, but you never know

 

[IndianCyclist]

Targeting another GT once in a while might help.


It never stopped Pinot from racing the Giro when he wanted. Wouldn't be a problem for Madiot either, since Groupama is now a well rounded team who could chase stages in the Tour if there's no GC contender.

was. Demare is gone. Now they don't have a top class sprinter

 

[Valv.Piti]

It's the neverending French quest to find someone who can challenge for the Tour. Frankly Gaudu can't reach the level of a peak Pinot or Bardet. It is as simple as that, on his good days with a so and so competition Gaudu can top 10 and that's about all. Expectations are too high for him, maybe it got to his head, this year he is worse than last and there you have it. Free Pino!

Good analysis. Pinot and Bardet were somewhat close on one occasion each, which were their peaks. Gaudu is noticeably weaker climber, has a bad TT and plain and simple just not good enough for anything else than mid-low top-10.

 

[movingtarget]

Good analysis. Pinot and Bardet were somewhat close on one occasion each, which were their peaks. Gaudu is noticeably weaker climber, has a bad TT and plain and simple just not good enough for anything else than mid-low top-10.

Rolland was another one that was talked up for quite a while. Won some good stages but never looked likely on GC.

 

[StryderHells]

Rolland was another one that was talked up for quite a while. Won some good stages but never looked likely on GC.

Rolland did suffer from that, he had all the attributes to be a great stage hunter but spent to many years trying to be the French GC rider. Gaudu looks to me as a 1 week stage racer/lower half top 10 3 week GC/stage hunter. He’s good but isn’t a Tour winner.

 

[Põhja Konn]

Not sure we can conclude too much about Gaudu based on this Tour. He already looked way off during the Dauphine, it's quite clear that something in his preparation has gone wrong. Actually he was also a lot worse in Itzulia than what was expected after his Paris-Nice performance, not impossible those underperformances have some common underlying cause.

 

[Netserk]

Not sure we can conclude too much about Gaudu based on this Tour. He already looked way off during the Dauphine, it's quite clear that something in his preparation has gone wrong. Actually he was also a lot worse in Itzulia than what was expected after his Paris-Nice performance, not impossible those underperformances have some common underlying cause.

Agreed. I definitely think he has the level to podium the Tour. Just not this year.

 

[Nick2413]

If you don’t count Pog/Vingo and Hindley due to his breakaway gain, Gaudu is only 1:40 back. I think it’s still too early to completely write him off.

 

[staubsauger]

Not sure we can conclude too much about Gaudu based on this Tour. He already looked way off during the Dauphine, it's quite clear that something in his preparation has gone wrong. Actually he was also a lot worse in Itzulia than what was expected after his Paris-Nice performance, not impossible those underperformances have some common underlying cause.

Gaudu was ill ahead of Basque Country. Since his illness his shape hasn't fully reappeared it seems.

 

[Cookster15]

Rolland was another one that was talked up for quite a while. Won some good stages but never looked likely on GC.

Pierre Rolland was talked up during the 2011 TdF. Did a great job for Thomas Voeckler. Then won on the Alpe after attacking Contador and Sanchez. But he never really progressed to fulfil his potential which was a shame.

I hope Gaudu‘s lack of form is explained by illness and that he can still be a podium chance for the French.

 

[glassmoon]

I was right about Landa never ever winning GT more than 10 years ago and I'm right about David too: He'll never be a winner of a GT. Period.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I was right about Landa never ever winning GT more than 10 years ago and I'm right about David too: He'll never be a winner of a GT. Period.

Difference being that Landa has actually showed the top level on a few occasions to win a GT if everything falls into place - something that Gaudu has yet to show, and therefore stating that isn't that much of a risk.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Difference being that Landa has actually showed the top level on a few occasions to win a GT if everything falls into place - something that Gaudu has yet to show, and therefore stating that isn't that much of a risk.

Showed one time and in fact, everything fall into place. He had the most ridiculous team I have ever seen in a GT against a one team man. He had a co-leader, to make 2-1 against Contador but he still couldn't win. Never ever was close to win a GT again.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

There's a difference between being able to podium a GT and being able to win it. I don't think anyone will currently claim Gaudu is capable of the former, but he might he still accomplish the latter one day. That said, he has a better chance of winning the KOM in the Tour and some bigger one-day races, so I think he should focus more on thet in the future, unless ASO provides another great route for him, or he manages to improve his ITT considerably.

He had a bad stage after the rest day, but a top 5 finish is still not out of the question. However if he has a bad day again today or tomorrow, it'll probably be time for him and the team to target stage wins instead.