Marked by a Tour de France frustrating and unanswered to his difficulties, Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet found The return With the desire to approach things differently. The climber of the Groupama-FDJ wants to run released, offensive, and why not aim for the general if the opportunity arises. Alongside David Gaudufor the first time gathered on the same big tour, he hopes to give back momentum to his season and prepare the best of the end of the year, with the sights Worldwide in Rwanda.
“I made a blood test and …”
We had left you at the end of the tower marked, disappointed, almost in misunderstanding in the face of your difficulties. With hindsight, did you understand what hadn't worked?
Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet : Yes, from Tuesday that followed the Tour, I took a blood test. She revealed that certain biological values were quite low-nothing catastrophic, but on a tour like this, I didn't need that. It can largely explain why my sensations were not at all at the level of my expectations. Since then, I have taken a blood test, and things have returned to order. So I have the hope of finding different sensations on the Vuelta.
What are your goals? Will you play the general classification?
I do not fix the general as an absolute objective. If it arises, why not. But what I want is to run released. It is not incompatible with ambition, but I want to live an offensive vuelta, like that of 2020 where I had taken a lot of pleasure with the boute climber and many escapes.
You will finally run your first duet race with David Gaudu: a promising association?
We talked a lot during the winter of our association with David. Finally, it will be the first race we will do together this season. We should have run together before, but it was slowed down by falls at the start of the year. Having two climbers in the end of the mountain stages is necessarily interesting. There are several tactical options that can open up to us. But the prerequisite is that we are both at our level. We each arrive with questions about our form, but on paper, we can do beautiful things.
I do not forget the rest of the team: we have a very complete collective. The Vuelta is still very mountainous, but we also have Thibaud Gruel who can perform on sprints or Punchy arrivals. And we have several runners capable of looking for steps via the escapes. We are well armed for this Vuelta.
“A little strange to start the Vuelta in Italy”
There is like a scent of Giro for this big departure from Turin… Is it a special feeling of leaving Italy in August for the Vuelta?
It's a bit strange, yes. For me, the Vuelta rhymes with Spain. I can't wait to be on the peninsula. I am not a fan of long trips by plane in the open tour, but in a few days, we will be in Spain for the real Vuelta.
Team time: your opinion?
This is not my cup of tea, but I prefer a team time with an individual time. It is a very technical, very stressful exercise because everything goes very quickly. We worked in the winter, and we reworked it recently with the team. There is real know-how with us. I find it good to keep this type of event punctually, it brings variety and spectacle.
And the world championships in Rwanda at the end of September, do you think about it?
It is a goal. It will be a historic World Cup, on the African continent, with a very difficult profile: 5,500 m of elevation, altitude, heat … on paper, it can suit me. But to be there, you have to succeed in your Vuelta. So I focus on that first.
“Do not undergo the race as on the Tour de France”
What was your preparation between the Tour and the Vuelta?
I spent four weeks in Normandy, apart from a weekend in the east for criteria. The idea was above all to recover well. I did not want to overload myself in training, nor go back to the mountains. I took advantage of my land. It was hot, even if we were the only region not alert. It was more pleasant and conducive to real recovery.
Question a little off-topic: What does you inspire the CC Studies in N1?
I saw the info pass, yes. It is a page that turns, but it follows the logical evolution of training in cycling, with the continental reserve teams. Studies will continue to focus on juniors. I feel very indebted to this club and the people who have accompanied me in my two years before the pro world. Besides, I had the opportunity to return to the post-tour criterium there three weeks ago. It was very nostalgic: review the training roads, the old apartments, the people of the club … A real homecoming.
What is a successful vuelta would be for you?
For me, it is first in attitude, not only in the result. Being an actor of the race, to please me, not to undergo it as on the Tour de France … I think that the results come with a good attitude. So an offensive Vuelta, where I have fun, it would be a successful vuel.
What about this Vuelta?
There are two teams that I don't need to quote, or even three with Lidl-Trek, who dominate the set. But unlike the Tour, the Vuelta is often more open. These teams can be delivered more depending on the race physiognomy. There will be a big density of climbers. Not all will play the general, so certain steps should see very raised escapes. Each step will be disputed. It is modern cycling: there are no more moments of release.
