It is one of those rare days that immediately earns its place in the history books. On Wednesday, the fourth stage of Paris–Nice produced real chaos between Bourges and Uchon, due both to the harsh weather conditions and to a race ignited from kilometre zero by crosswinds, with not a single moment of respite thereafter. Initially supported by Johan Jacobs and Clément Russo, David Gaudu managed to get through the first part of the race without trouble before showing admirable resilience in the final climbs to secure eighth place. After an extremely gruelling day, the Breton sits fifth overall.
It seemed inevitable that stage four of Paris–Nice would cause damage, but not from the very first seconds. Yet in a stage expected to explode in its finale towards Uchon, chaos reigned from the gun on Wednesday. What followed were 195 frantic kilometres, sparked by early echelons, helped by rain and a tail-crosswind. “We knew there was a risk from kilometre zero and for nearly 50 kilometres,” explained Stéphane Goubert. “It was something we were attentive about, but not everyone expected it to happen straight away. Clément was immediately where he needed to be, and Johan, who was also very attentive, took David with him to move him up to Clément. That’s how we ended up with three riders in the first group.” “I was lucky to have two guardian angels,” confirmed David. “They positioned me in the first echelon, and after that it was survival all day long.” David Gaudu was therefore part of a group of around forty riders, including roughly ten contenders for the general classification. “From that point on, you always had to keep riding,” added Stéphane. “In a crosswind you can’t afford to sit at the back because it can split again at any moment. Taking turns also helps you stay in the game and keep warm.”
“Paris–Nice is a ruthless race” – David Gaudu
For more than 100 kilometres, an intense and relentless duel developed between the two leading groups on the road. The gap constantly hovered around one minute, with neither side willing to give in. However, David Gaudu lost Clément Russo along the way after the experienced Frenchman crashed. As for Johan Jacobs, he was able to continue supporting his leader until the first climb of the day, located sixty-five kilometres from the finish. “From there, David tried to manage things as best as possible given the weather conditions and the competition,” pointed out Stéphane Goubert. “It turned into an elimination race, everyone for themselves.” The race took an even more dramatic turn fifty kilometres from the finish when race leader Juan Ayuso and several other riders from the front group hit the ground. Although David Gaudu avoided the crash, he was forced to let a group of five riders go up the road, including four members of Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe and Jonas Vingegaard, the eventual stage winner. The gap then grew to the chasing group, which David Gaudu nevertheless managed to hold onto over the penultimate climb before approaching the ascent to Uchon. The Breton began the climb with nearly three minutes’ deficit to the leaders, alongside four other survivors.
In the final 1,800 metres at over 10%, the Groupama–FDJ United climber then battled for the remaining top-10 places in this brutal stage. “When you hit gradients like that after a 200-kilometre day raced full gas, you’re not playing anymore,” added Stéphane. “You just go with whatever is left in the tank.” With his last reserves of energy, David Gaudu managed to secure eighth place, 4’20’’ behind Vingegaard. “It’s probably among the three worst days I’ve experienced on the bike,” said the Breton. “I actually felt quite good, but like many others I was completely cooked in the final and couldn’t do much on the last climb. We’ll need to recover because this stage will leave its mark. Paris–Nice is a ruthless race, we know that. I may be fifth overall tonight, but tomorrow another Classic-style stage awaits. We have to stay cautious, and we’ll take stock in the morning of the Auron stage.” “It was a stage worthy of Paris–Nice,” added Stéphane. “Fortunately, there aren’t many days like this. From our side there are plenty of positives to take from the result and the attitude. We always want more, but today we have to be very satisfied with the day.”
At the halfway point of this “Race to the Sun”, David Gaudu now sits fifth in the overall standings, 5’02’’ behind Vingegaard.
