Lacklustre Gaudu finally finds reason behind disappointing year with Groupama-FDJ, ends season: 'Struggling for months'

Gaudu was once one of the leading figures in French cycling, but that seems like a distant memory now. He finished fourth in the 2022 Tour de France, but has had some inconsistent years. Just last year, he surprised everyone with a stage win and the red jersey in the Vuelta a España, but that was the last major achievement for the 29-year-old Frenchman, who turns 30 this Saturday.

This season hasn’t gone at all well for the climber. His best result is a fifth-place finish at the Boucles de l’Aulne, but after a year full of setbacks, he’s ranked 736th in the UCI rankings.

To make matters worse, rumours began circulating about the atmosphere at Groupama-FDJ, where Gaudu was said to be unpopular and his salary was seen as a hindrance.

An anonymous teammate spoke out, calling him "an irritating mystery." He subsequently reacted strongly to these claims. He also refuted claims that the arrival of his first child had changed his priorities, saying that while his life had changed, he still had the drive to compete.

In August, his team announced that they would work with Gaudu to determine the reason behind his dip in form. As a result, he would undergo some tests, which meant he would be unable to compete in the Vuelta a España, as had originally been planned.

Those tests have now been completed. “As announced back in August, David Gaudu has undergone a series of additional tests to better understand the issues he has been struggling with for several months,” Cyclism’Actu reports, citing a press release from the team. The test results are not very positive.

"These studies, conducted at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), confirmed significant fatigue that requires a longer recovery period.

This situation follows several seasons marked by injuries, which sometimes led to complex preparation and recovery phases, with a progressive accumulation of various factors that affected his ability to recover."

Gaudu, who has been struggling, now knows what the problem is and how to fix it: rest. That’s why we won’t be seeing him in action again this year. “David and the team have therefore decided in recent weeks to end his 2026 season. David is now taking some time off to fully recover before considering the 2027 season.”