Where his former teammate Thibaut Pinot took the win back in 2018, David Gaudu achieved a brilliant performance on Tuesday at the Lagos de Covadonga, for the opening of the Vuelta a España’s last week. In the final of stage 16, the Frenchman held his own against the three main favorites for a long time. He ultimately lost only six seconds at the summit on Primoz Roglic & co, but further progressed overall as he now sits in 6th. He’s right on track for the final straight.
The third week of the Vuelta a España began on Tuesday as the second ended on Sunday: with a summit finish. Two days after the ascent of the frightening Cuitu Negru, the riders had to tackle the famous climb to the Lagos de Covadonga right after the rest day. The twelve-kilometre climb averaging 7% came after 170 kilometres of racing and two other classified and rather demanding climbs: the Mirador del Fito (7km at 8%) and the Collada Llomena (7.5 km at 9.5%). As in recent days, the breakaway once again had the opportunity to go and fight for the stage victory, since none of its sixteen members, including Wout van Aert, Marc Soler, Max Poole or Filippo Zana, was a danger for the general classification. As for Groupama-FDJ, they focused their attention on David Gaudu. “We quickly understood that it would be difficult for us to fight for the stage today, especially because we lost Rémy,” explained Thierry. “We hoped that the rest day would help him get back in shape, but there was no miracle. For his health, we decided to make him stop.” Two races within one therefore took shape, and the action actually happened first within the bunch.
“He didn’t think too much”, Thierry Bricaud
In the Collada Llomena, sixty kilometres from the finish, Movistar tried to light up the race. “We knew that the race would probably get harder on this climb”, said Thierry. “David was very attentive, he followed easily, and that gave him confidence for the rest of the day.” “It was a really difficult day, we went up the penultimate climb very fast, but I felt really good, so I was able to manage it well”, said the team leader. Among the very best when the group of favourites exploded, David Gaudu was not in trouble, and the peloton then partially got back together towards the final climb. The breakaway approached it with a lead of more than five minutes, allowing Marc Soler to race towards victory, while the peloton gradually lost riders from the back. The first attacks came eight kilometres from the summit, and the red jersey group exploded 1,500 metres further on. “On the last climb, I went full throttle,” said David. “I saw that the group of favourites was getting smaller and smaller, and I felt that I still had the legs to follow the day’s three strongest. Today, I didn’t hesitate.” Quite quickly, the Groupama-FDJ climber indeed broke away with Primoz Roglic, Enric Mas and Richard Carapaz. “He knows his opponents very well and he knows himself,” Thierry added. “He was also in a good day, so he didn’t think too much.”
“I ride my bike for these kinds of moments,” David Gaudu
For about ten minutes, David Gaudu stood up to the three podium contenders. He even made a few accelerations, before losing a few metres two kilometres from the line. However, he never cracked. At the top, he eventually obtained thirteenth place, only six seconds behind Roglic, Mas and Carapaz. “It was a bit harder for him at the top, but looking at his final climb, it’s a great day for him,” Thierry said. “It keeps on reassuring him and it keeps him in the mix for the general classification. It’s of course positive in terms of results because he gained a position (he is now 6th, editor’s note), but apart from that, we haven’t seen him at this level for almost two years. He is getting his confidence back. There was still a small mental barrier and a bit of apprehension. In the end, he is not far from the very top level”. “I had been looking for such feelings on a climb for a very long time”, confirmed David. “It was really enjoyable to be with the three other leaders. I ride my bike for these kinds of moments, that’s what drives me and what I had missed hugely. I am really super happy to have been able to achieve this today. Now, there are two hard stages left and we must not rest on our laurels because the gaps are very tight”.
Now sixth overall 3’48 behind Ben O’Connor, still in the red jersey for five seconds, the Breton is 1’30 from fifth place, but his three closest chasers are less than forty seconds behind. While waiting for the general classification to clear up on Friday, the peloton will head towards Santander tomorrow. “We had a little doubt about a possible sprint, but with Wout van Aert’s abandon today, we know that Visma-Lease a Bike will not be controlling,” concluded Thierry. “Tomorrow, there is a good chance that the breakaway will go all the way. It’s up to us to be very careful to try to be in the running because there is a stage victory to go for.”
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