Poor Dauphiné TT for French Tour hope Gaudu ‘not alarming,’ insists team

David Gaud during the 2023 Critérium du Dauphiné stage 4 time trial
(Image credit: Getty)

A poor Criterium du Dauphiné time trial performance for Tour de France contender David Gaudu is  ‘not alarming’ and 'not dramatic,' his Groupama-FDJ team management have said, while expressing confidence that their French leader still has time to turn things around before July 1.

Gaudu finished fourth overall last year in the Tour de France and is expected to head the host country’s hopes to be a factor in this year’s GC battle. He also took second overall in Paris-Nice this March, a result considered a breakthrough in his week-long stage racing track record.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.