Before this 80th edition of the Vueltathe 2025 season of David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) seemed very complicated. Despite an excellent start to the season on the Tour d’OmanBreton was not spared from physical seeds. But since the start of Tour of Spain 2025, everything seems to be back to normal for the French runner. Carrier of the red jersey of the general classification, stage winner in front of any other than Mads Pedersen (Lidl-trek) et Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), cette Vuelta Breton is sparkling. Cyclism’Actu attended the press conference of David Gaudu This Monday, September 1. The runner returned in particular to this beginning of Tour of Spain but also on the recent news of Tour of the futurewon by the 18 -year -old Lyonnais, Paul Seixas.
“Paul Seixas and Maxime Decomble really embody the future of French cycling …”
We can already say that this Vuelta is successful: you have won a step, wear the red jersey to the pedal without going through a breakaway. What is your vision of this first assessment?
Yes, I think we can already say that our Vuelta is successful. We won a step, we wore the red jersey to the pedal, without escape. Even if it happened very early and often the first -week victories can be a little forgotten at the end of a big round, casually, this victory counts: in my head, in that of the team, and team members. We don't want to stop there. A second part of Vuelta successful, for me, it would be to find sensations, to have fun, to hang results, why not another stage victory. If I find the legs from the start of Vuelta, it is quite possible. We saw that our young people showed beautiful things. Brieuc (Rolland, editor's note) took a breakaway which went to the end, it is 8th on a mountain stage. Thibaut (Gruel) managed very well with the sprint, he finished 6th with a massive sprint when it is not his land. We also have an individual time where our two large rollers can aim for a result. Rudy (MOLARD) and Clément (Braz Alfonso) want to go to the escapes, they can get out of the game. I think we are going to run released, and sometimes even without calculation, it can allow you to get the best result.
Nothing to do with the Vuelta: we found your successor to the turn of the future, a certain Paul Seixas, who recognized that “Succeeding in David Gaudu was something”. It was in 2016. Do you know him? What do you think of this new generation and your successor on the tour of the future?
I am happy to have a successor, and that a French team succeeded us in the turn of the future. I spoke with Nans Peters, who was with me in 2016. Paul, I haven't rubbed shoulders with the pros yet, but he seems to have his head on his shoulders and a lot of desire. He has already shown on the Dauphiné that he had talent. We have a beautiful generation: we must not forget Maxime Declble either, who works very hard and who will surely be a very good runner of the future. Paul and Maxime really embody the future of French cycling for mountain stages.
To hear you, the Vuelta is not yet over for you?
Yes of course. We only did nine days of racing, if we remove Madrid and the time, there are still several stages where we can play. Tomorrow I will still be in a phase of progressive recovery, because there are not really real days of rest on a big tour, even less on this Vuelta. But there are still beautiful steps: Bilbao, the Angliru which is mythical, the Farapona where I have already won in 2020. Just as many arrivals that can suit me. We have already won a step, so the pressure is partly fell. Now we put another pressure: go get a second victory.
At the last press point, you said that you would need time to hope to be efficient. With hindsight, was there a little bluff?
No way. Ten days before, I was in the grupetto on the turn of the Ain, some had to wonder how I could go from there to win on the Vuelta. I had had good signals in training before departure, but I did not think I was so strong as soon as the first arrival at the top, I really didn't think I was at this level. It may be this output that I paid in the following days.
“Jonas Vingegaard is favorite, but …”
We feel more serene, more peaceful, contrary to what you said at the start of Vuelta?
Yes, I think that my first week, even if it only lasted two and a half days, we could not hope better given the galleys that I had before. It reassures, it shows that when I am 100 % I can compete with the best. My Vuelta is already successful, but I still want to be an actor on this Vuelta in the 2nd and 3rd week, and especially on roads that suit me and where I have already shone. We have less this pressure of having absolutely winning a step, but we want to continue to perform.
Your association with Guillaume Martin could not materialize this year, it is almost cursed. What does it change?
It's sad, we had to start the season at the Var classic together, then on the Tour … Finally, we hardly ran together, apart from the French championships, where we were almost at the same level on this type of course. I have good memories of the Vuelta 2020 where we often went into an escape. It was a Vuelta who had smiled at the two of us. Guillaume, he is someone who always knows how to take the right breakaway, who brings a lot to a team even if he does not win much. I am necessarily sad that he was injured. It's a shame, but I think next year we can go back on a good basis.
Mentally, how do you manage to have started very hard and then suffer more on the second part of the week?
It is sure that I suffered anymore afterwards. But there had been such an emotional discharge that the body was to take. When we have already won a step, we more easily accept to miss a bit that if we hadn't done anything.
You mentioned the Angliru. Is it also an opportunity to reassure yourself on long ascents, because your best perfs this year have mainly been on shorter and explosive arrivals?
It is true that I have not yet made real mountain stages 100 % this year. I especially performed on more punchy stages. But in training, I worked a lot over time, notably in internship with the bikes of Chrono in passes and road bikes in the passes. Personally, I need the racing pace to find my bearings in the high mountains, and it will come naturally.
According to you, is the Vuelta already promised in Jonas Vingegaard?
He showed yesterday (step 9, note) that he was the strongest. He was the big favorite at the start. But a big tour lasts three weeks: there are still a lot of trapping steps, the weather is not necessarily part of the game and we are never safe at a stroke less well. Almeida can also be a serious opponent. Vingegaard is off to a good start, he is a favorite for the final victory in Madrid, but the Vuelta is still long. There are still a lot of mountain stages, and we have not really disputed one for the moment.
