Tour de France: Unchained (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Episode #1.7 - full transcript
In this last week of the Tour,
everyone is wrecked, burnt out.
But when you manage to reach the podium,
it stays with you for life.
To have a rider
on the Tour de France podium,
for Groupama-FDJ, it's the Holy Grail.
We're approaching the end
of the Tour de France
with strength,
ambition, and determination.
We're playing against behemoths.
We have half the resources
those teams have.
Geraint will continue to fight.
The team objective,
to get on the podium.
I still wanna perform in the Tour.
I still wanna be there
in the high mountains.
This is probably the last chance
that someone can overtake me in third.
I'm in the twilight of my career.
But when it comes to racing,
I can still be competitive.
Go, David, go!
We have what it takes.
We have to get back in the fight.
TOUR DE FRANCE: UNCHAINED
ALL OUT FOR THE PODIUM
2 MONTHS BEFORE THE TOUR DE FRANCE
CEO / GROUPAMA-FDJ
My only obsession,
the only thing that interests me,
is how my riders will respond
and helping them be better.
My ambitions are really simple,
to finish on the Tour de France podium.
Every team is a rival team.
When we see
the power of the big teams nowadays,
it's obvious that
French teams have to up their game
and close the gap
that separates them from the big teams.
Are you trying to impress me or what?
Marc Madiot
doesn't have an unlimited budget.
He doesn't have deep pockets
to buy a top leader.
If he wants hope
of winning the Tour de France some day,
he has to make do with a rider
that he can nurture and develop,
little by little.
PRESS CONFERENCE
GROUPAMA-FDJ
Shall I do the intro and leave?
CLIMBER / GROUPAMA-FDJ
Thibaut Pinot has been
the Groupama-FDJ leader for eight years.
But since placing third in 2014,
the team hasn't managed a top ten finish
in the general classification.
Marc Madiot had to get radical.
Ready? Okay, hello, everyone.
It's a real pleasure to be here
at the start of the Tour de France.
The end goal of the game
is to make an assault,
an assault on the podium.
So, I'll get right to it.
On this Tour de France,
we'll start with David Gaudu as leader.
That's what the team is there for,
and we're going to try
to do our best around David.
He deserves a chance
to reach the Tour de France podium.
When Marc Madiot announced
David Gaudu as Groupama-FDJ leader,
it didn't get full public support.
The first Frenchman
we're going to talk about is David Gaudu.
It's tricky. He's not Thibaut Pinot.
He's never had a big result
in the general classification
of the Tour de France.
A CLOSER LOOK AT FRENCH CYCLISTS
If he finds himself fighting
for sixth or eighth place, like I said,
it's going to be hard to cheer for him.
David was
chosen as leader simply because
he has the physical
and technical qualities needed.
People will make up
their own minds on social networks.
This year, we have objective benchmarks.
We know what
we need to do to achieve the podium.
Thibaut Pinot is a great rider,
but he's more about the past.
Whereas Gaudu is more about the future.
Hi, everyone!
Hope you're doing well.
So, the mic is on, I'm just
gonna turn the background sound down.
Everyone is different
and has something that makes them tick.
I like spending time alone
because I'm pretty shy.
And so, let's go. Let's go, friends!
I started cycling when I was six,
and it's all I've ever done.
I think what I really enjoyed
was expending a lot of energy,
being able to be outdoors.
For me, since I was a kid,
the Tour de France
has always made me dream because
it's one of
the biggest events in the world.
Boom, there. Let's go.
Gaudu, if he wasn't a pro cyclist,
he'd be totally inconspicuous.
The kind of inconspicuousness
he has in everyday life,
he turns that into a strength.
TOUR DE FRANCE
COMBATIVITY AWARD
And into the ability to develop himself
and surpass others when he's cycling.
It is going to be
a win here for David Gaudu,
of the team of Groupama-FDJ.
David Gaudu sneaks underneath
Wout van Aert on the right-hand side.
That was spectacular.
Yes!
Oh, great!
- Thanks.
- The camera is helping.
- I've never been this good a mechanic!
- It's not usually that quick.
We usually get angry
and break everything.
Boom.
I'll give you this too...
All good? Ready!
- Sure. I'm waiting.
- Let's go then.
DAVID GAUDU'S PARTNER
Marc told me,
"Okay, David, you're going to be leader,
the role of leader in the Tour de France."
It shows the confidence
the team has in me.
It's pretty hot.
Some riders would rather not
have the pressure of being leader.
It's a lot of pressure
and a lot of stress.
But you learn to manage it.
How do you feel?
Fine. I'm learning how to rub up
for the first week of the Tour.
I'm someone
who questions themselves all the time.
I think it's because I generally
have a cautious approach to life.
I don't show my cards.
But I need to prove to myself
that I can take on this role,
and that I can do it.
STAGE 12
It's the second week
of the tour. We're in the Alps.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
David Gaudu in the yellow jersey group.
Go, go!
I think David has
what it takes to succeed.
But he needs to find the confidence
and the ambition needed to be
a leader and to fight for the podium.
And they're off on
the Alpe d'Huez climb. Let the show begin!
DISTANCE COVERED: 150.8 KM
TIME ELAPSED: 4 HRS 22M
ALPE D'HUEZ - 13.8 KM ASCENT
ALTITUDE: 1,869 M
Geraint Thomas
within reach of the podium,
fourth place
in the general classification.
David Gaudu alongside him.
Come on, keep going. Come on, that's good.
Maybe it's Gaudu's moment
for general classification.
But is he able to keep up with
the best climbers on the Tour?
Get out.
Pace is picking up
at the front of the peloton.
A few riders have dropped back.
Gaudu is in trouble!
David Gaudu's in trouble and falling back.
David Gaudu, Groupama-FDJ,
has fallen behind the yellow jersey group.
He's struggling.
A tough time for David Gaudu.
When you get to key points,
the pressure really builds inside you.
I'd say it's more about
the pressure you put on yourself.
Sometimes in the excitement of the moment,
you can get lost
and maybe go off track a little.
One kilometre for David.
Look at these three riders.
Is this gonna be the podium in Paris?
Pogačar, Vingegaard, and Thomas
who's back in third place
in the general classification.
- Good job, Stevo, mate.
- Good job, boys. Thank you. Thanks, bud.
David Gaudu fighting hard
not to fall too far back in the GC.
He messed up on Alpe d'Huez.
Down to seventh place
and far behind the top three.
When I'm not happy with a stage,
internally I'm like, "Dammit."
I mean, I'm disappointed for myself,
disappointed for my teammates,
disappointed for my team.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
We have three questions.
David, a mythical climb.
How tough is it, especially in this heat?
Yeah, it's really tough in this heat.
It's fucking annoying.
I don't have the self-confidence,
and I'm worried about burning out.
So I go at my own pace.
I didn't have the self-confidence
during that last climb,
with the heat and everything.
So, there you go. That's the way it is.
If you're talented,
but don't work on it,
and you don't have
the mental or personal strength,
and if your don't have
the ability to question yourself...
then you're not made for this job.
- Can we join you?
- No. Please, leave me alone.
Sure.
GROUPAMA-FDJ TEAM MEETING
We suffered a defeat.
I also read and saw in the media,
Groupama wants a podium win but wait,
Gaudu always has something wrong with him.
Well, no. That's not what you are.
It's not just the physical aspect.
It's also what's going on up here.
Yes, we're about
to go through tough times.
But if you pull together,
if you work together,
our strength is what we have inside us.
It's in our DNA,
it's our culture, our solidarity.
STAGE 14
David Gaudu, near his limits,
crossing the finish line
just ahead of Geraint Thomas
and clawing back a few seconds.
And you have to find the strength
and teamwork inside you
that is going to get you out of this rut.
STAGE 16
What a comeback for David Gaudu!
The Frenchman is eyeing the podium.
Seven riders have to be there
to support him.
STAGE 17
What incredible work
for Gaudu from his team.
Now it's up to him to finish the job.
Everyone here is committed, behind you.
So we're going to get what we came for,
a podium win on the Tour.
If you believe it, then you might succeed.
And if you don't believe it,
then it's over.
Gaudu is giving his all!
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
David Gaudu's turnaround
after cracking on the Alpe d'Huez stage
is simply remarkable.
But if he wants
to secure the famous podium
that Groupama has hoped for since 2014,
then he's going to have to challenge
a former Tour winner, Geraint Thomas.
You do forget how tired you get.
By the time you get to this stage,
you always forget how you start to feel.
And a couple of weeks after,
you're looking forward to the next time.
It's sadistic.
This year's Tour is... as hard as ever.
But I still want to perform in the Tour,
as long as I can be there,
in touching distance of the yellow jersey.
But the press this year,
it's like, "Oh, G's, like, a bit old now."
"And he's not as good
as what he used to be and stuff."
Which is fine.
That's just the way it is,
and just got to accept it.
The situation at the moment
is looking good, obviously.
Ideally, it'd be nice to just keep
that advantage and, you know,
prove a lot of people wrong.
I think a lot of people
have been writing Geraint Thomas off,
writing his career off, and saying
that he's not going
to be a serious contender.
But sometimes I do think
he deserves to not have
to fight quite so hard.
I kind of felt like
it's more just that hunger
in me to just wanna...
do well, and all the sacrifices
I've made all year,
all the time away
from family and stuff, just...
make sure that's worthwhile, you know?
My wife, she goes
through it all with me really. Um...
Yeah, all the injuries,
the pressure and everything,
she lives it.
She obviously gets super excited
and really happy when I do well, but
she doesn't get to stand on the podium.
- All right. Stand up.
- Nice one.
So, Sar's just texted me.
"You were in high school
before Jonas and Pogačar were born."
Well, thanks for the support, dear
I can see, sort of...
that my career's
gonna stop soon. You know?
And it's not gonna go on forever.
To go from, like,
I've done 16 years pro now,
you know,
to just stop and not have anything.
GERAINT THOMAS' WIFE
Just want to be
a bit prepared for that, really.
More psych... Mentally.
I think when you retire,
I'm used to you being away for,
well, most of the year, so...
- If he's...
- We'll be getting a divorce.
Don't say that!
Geraint Thomas, he's not been at
what I would call his best
for a couple of years.
For one reason or another.
And this does feel like
the last chance saloon for him
to prove himself.
And to show the world what... what he is.
Because he is a great, great rider.
Hopefully, you'll get to...
when you do decide to retire it will be...
Not many people get
to retire on their own terms.
So hopefully, you know,
that'll be a big thing,
and that's kinda why we're trying to do
as much as we can with Max now,
take him to all the races,
because we're fully aware
it doesn't last forever.
Yeah.
Geraint Thomas has to prove himself.
Despite his age, he has to show his team
that he's capable
of reaching the podium in Paris.
STAGE 18
Today is the 18th stage.
A big fight on this Tour.
The last big fight in the mountains.
After three weeks of racing,
we've reached the ultimate test
for the world's best riders, the Pyrenees.
Here, the climbs
are steeper and shorter than in the Alps.
The humidity will be suffocating.
It's going to be a very intense day.
The contenders for third place
on the podium are Geraint Thomas,
Nairo Quintana,
and the Frenchman David Gaudu.
They won't give up.
In this final week,
the riders have given everything
for their place
in the general classification.
Losing it all is out of the question.
The terrain, you see,
at the start there's a little hill,
after that, it's flatter,
and then you have the three big passes.
Which you're familiar with.
I just love
the last three weeks of the major tours.
I've always done well.
I tell myself that if I have legs
for the third week of a major tour,
then I can achieve something huge.
You always try and look ahead
and keep moving forward but,
yeah, definitely gotta be
aware of the guys behind,
because there's some strong riders there.
Stage 18
from Lourdes to Hautacam,
a distance of 143 kilometres.
Third place in
the general classification is in play.
Five, four, three, two, one...
They're off!
Everything is set
for this to be an intense stage.
Leaving Lourdes for Col d'Aubisque,
Col de Spandelles,
and the final climb to Hautacam.
Immediate acceleration
from the green jersey, Wout van Aert.
The Pyrenees, in general,
are kinda seen as a bit more dangerous.
The day where you think there's
the most chance of something to go wrong.
The peloton is in an area
of winding hairpin turns.
You can do everything right,
but it just takes one thing to go wrong,
then you're out of the race.
Whoa!
Oh, a big crash!
Fucking hell!
Oh!
My gosh! Is this
the first Tour de France you've driven in?
Stay calm, mate.
Yeah, right.
Photographer motorbikes!
10.3 KM ASCENT
ALTITUDE: 1,378 M
The yellow jersey group arrives
at the foot of the penultimate challenge,
the pace intensifies.
DISTANCE COVERED: 102 KM
TIME ELAPSED: 2 HRS 47 M
Vingegaard is on Pogačar's wheel,
who is still there
and behind Geraint Thomas.
David Gaudu is in the front group.
Still pursuing a place on the podium.
A mountain stage is mostly
a test of strength and endurance.
You have to be mentally strong,
especially to get a podium win.
The heat
and the pace are hellish.
It must be suffocating for the riders.
I think
experience comes into play.
It's definitely easy to try and
push hard on the pedals for the win,
but it's knowing that
not to exert yourself too much
'cause you're just gonna blow up,
and you can't sustain that.
So, I think that's
a big part of it as well,
just understanding your body.
And know how deep you can go.
Another difficult climb for David Gaudu.
He drops behind the yellow jersey group.
No.
First off, the fatigue is in the mind.
Once you're in a downward spiral,
it's very hard to escape it.
You know you're one of
the best climbers, so don't panic.
A little thought
popped in my head going,
"Damn it, I've worked hard,
I may lose time on Thomas and Quintana."
I have to bounce back for my team.
I have to go for it
and achieve something. You know?
Let's see if David Gaudu
has the legs to try and close the gap.
If you can go further
in terms of suffering and sacrifice,
then you may have a chance.
And that gives you confidence, strength,
and a certain serenity about oneself.
Gaudu has
caught up to Quintana.
He moves up to fourth place
in the general classification
and is closing in on Geraint Thomas.
13.6 KM ASCENT
1,520 M ALTITUDE
Hautacam is a monster,
the last off-the-charts climb
of the Tour de France.
A 13.6 kilometre climb,
it's far and it's steep the whole way.
Geraint Thomas doubling down
to stay close to the favourites.
DISTANCE COVERED: 128.9 KM
TIME ELAPSED: 3 HRS 29 M
Come on. G.,
you need to squeeze it all out,
all the way to the top.
Thomas has a 43-second lead over Gaudu.
Thomas right behind the yellow jersey,
but he's not looking comfortable.
Come on, G,
you're pacing, mate. You're pacing.
Come on, man. All the way to the top.
Geraint Thomas
falls back, losing metre after metre.
You've got around three K, around 3 K now,
and it's steep like this,
9, 10% come on, G.
Now's not the time to crack.
The podium win is in play here.
Fucking hell. Don't cock it up, G.
Geraint Thomas has dropped.
- Excellent!
- Dropped behind the yellow jersey group.
Yes!
There's no
room for sentimentality
about people who achieved
great things in the past.
That doesn't exist.
The young ones are there
to take the place of the older ones,
and the older ones are there
to try and keep going and put off the end.
But the end always comes,
no matter who you are.
When you go it alone,
the climb is always more difficult.
That's when a leader needs his team.
Gaudu is on Madouas' wheel.
Just 22 seconds behind Thomas.
The gap is closing.
To be a leader,
you have to believe in yourself.
But you also have to trust your teammates.
Come on, the three of you
are gonna be at the summit. Go, go, go.
Come on, guys. We've gained
15 seconds in five kilometres.
Madouas moves
out of the way. Gaudu is on his own.
But it won't last,
because Thibaut Pinot is just in front,
re ady to help out his leader.
We have a whole team behind us
so that naturally gives you
a big boost of confidence.
Just another 13 seconds
between Geraint Thomas and David Gaudu.
Thibaut Pinot has given everything.
The French rider is alone now
to try and close the gap.
You're always
after that third place.
Anything can happen
during the third week of Tour.
So many riders can fall out
that we believe we have a chance.
Go, go, go, go!
Got a flat. Back wheel.
- Back wheel.
- Change the bike.
Yeah.
Your back wheel's flat, G.
We can change your bike if you need.
Come on!
They're ten seconds ahead of you.
Change the bike. We got a puncture.
Change bike, change bike.
Go! Go!
Looking good, bud.
So, Dani wait for G, please.
Dani, wait for G.
G, you call it, mate.
You call it. Tell him what to do.
David Gaudu
closing in on Geraint Thomas,
who has third place.
At that moment, you know very well
that to get a podium in the Tour,
it's now or never.
I've definitely
gotten stronger psychologically.
As you rise, the more experience you get.
It can help you keep going
and staying in that front.
Dani and G,
you've gotta fight
all the way to the line. Come on.
There's an adrenaline rush
when you catch another rider.
Because you tell yourself,
"Okay, I caught up,
so maybe I can beat him."
Or, anyway, you want to overtake him.
David Gaudu attempts an attack.
Gaudu's attacking.
Gaudu's accelerating!
Gaudu has just made an attack on Thomas.
Thomas holds on.
If you have riders
who are equally matched physically,
it all comes down to psychology.
It's who can withstand
that pain the longest,
and that's a mental element.
That's where you crack your rivals.
Yes!
The third and fourth riders
in the general classification
are wheel to wheel.
Five hundred metres
from the Hautacam finish line,
you get an adrenaline rush.
You know the race is in play.
You can lose everything at that moment,
so you're totally focused.
Last corner
before the Hautacam finish,
what a duel!
The main thing is blocking out
those demons telling you just to ease up.
You think you're tired,
but, suddenly, you find just new limits.
Last push
from Geraint Thomas,
who consolidates his third place
in the general classification.
And what a stage for David Gaudu,
a Frenchman and fourth
in the general classification.
Well done. Well done, guys.
Fucking hell, that was hard!
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
Another hard day, obviously.
I'm glad the mountains
are over, to be fair.
You go back 12 months,
to how much you were suffering,
- did you think you'd be in this position?
- I always believed. I think, uh...
not many other people did.
Did the team have the same level
of belief that you had in yourself?
Uh, I don't think so, really. I think...
It's all talk about
younger generation now, and this and that.
You know, it is what it is. Uh...
So, it's nice to be riding well
and just be best of the rest, so to speak.
I can be really happy
with proving people wrong.
Just saying, "I can still do it."
I can still be competitive
and be right up there
and just proving to myself as well,
because I... I believed I could.
But it's one thing actually believing
and another actually doing it.
It was satisfying.
Can you podium in another Grand Tour?
Let's get this one over first, shall we?
Yeah. Okay.
I like the chip
on Geraint Thomas' shoulder.
He maybe deserves
a bit more of that respect.
But maybe that's part of his makeup
and it's what pushes him
on so much anyway.
Once again,
we're seeing a fighting Geraint Thomas,
and it's worked.
We're currently fourth in the Tour.
For us, the race is a success.
It's the best result
for a Frenchman since 2017.
For sure, it's the best result
for a Frenchman since 2017.
Marc Madiot had a lot of criticism
when he named David Gaudu as team leader.
Okay, fourth place isn't a podium finish,
but it's the best result in many years.
Look at you now.
Have you seen your level now?
- Yes, I know the level I'm at.
- There you go.
Don't change anything, it's all good.
The Pyrenees allowed him
to make great strides
and to be sure of himself
and reassure himself.
And that's something powerful
and important for the future.
I don't want to stop at fourth place,
that's for sure.
I want to create a wave
that will carry us higher
and that's going to enable us
to get even closer to the best.
In my wildest dreams,
I hope that I'll be
the next rider to win the Tour de France.
But only time will tell.
Bravo, Stefan!
We're pleased.
We're happy with what we achieved.
But we also know that we can't
let ourselves get carried away by it all.
Because that could turn against us.
Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogačar.
A man-against-man fight
for the yellow jersey.
Are you still optimistic
that you can win the Tour de France 2022?
Yeah.
The attack is on.
We'll need to have Wout
help me to win the Tour de France.
The Champs-Élysées is
the most iconic sprint finish of the year.
Everybody wants to win.
But first you have
to get over the mountains.
Wout van Aert has dropped.
I could lose the Tour.
He's my friend.
everyone is wrecked, burnt out.
But when you manage to reach the podium,
it stays with you for life.
To have a rider
on the Tour de France podium,
for Groupama-FDJ, it's the Holy Grail.
We're approaching the end
of the Tour de France
with strength,
ambition, and determination.
We're playing against behemoths.
We have half the resources
those teams have.
Geraint will continue to fight.
The team objective,
to get on the podium.
I still wanna perform in the Tour.
I still wanna be there
in the high mountains.
This is probably the last chance
that someone can overtake me in third.
I'm in the twilight of my career.
But when it comes to racing,
I can still be competitive.
Go, David, go!
We have what it takes.
We have to get back in the fight.
TOUR DE FRANCE: UNCHAINED
ALL OUT FOR THE PODIUM
2 MONTHS BEFORE THE TOUR DE FRANCE
CEO / GROUPAMA-FDJ
My only obsession,
the only thing that interests me,
is how my riders will respond
and helping them be better.
My ambitions are really simple,
to finish on the Tour de France podium.
Every team is a rival team.
When we see
the power of the big teams nowadays,
it's obvious that
French teams have to up their game
and close the gap
that separates them from the big teams.
Are you trying to impress me or what?
Marc Madiot
doesn't have an unlimited budget.
He doesn't have deep pockets
to buy a top leader.
If he wants hope
of winning the Tour de France some day,
he has to make do with a rider
that he can nurture and develop,
little by little.
PRESS CONFERENCE
GROUPAMA-FDJ
Shall I do the intro and leave?
CLIMBER / GROUPAMA-FDJ
Thibaut Pinot has been
the Groupama-FDJ leader for eight years.
But since placing third in 2014,
the team hasn't managed a top ten finish
in the general classification.
Marc Madiot had to get radical.
Ready? Okay, hello, everyone.
It's a real pleasure to be here
at the start of the Tour de France.
The end goal of the game
is to make an assault,
an assault on the podium.
So, I'll get right to it.
On this Tour de France,
we'll start with David Gaudu as leader.
That's what the team is there for,
and we're going to try
to do our best around David.
He deserves a chance
to reach the Tour de France podium.
When Marc Madiot announced
David Gaudu as Groupama-FDJ leader,
it didn't get full public support.
The first Frenchman
we're going to talk about is David Gaudu.
It's tricky. He's not Thibaut Pinot.
He's never had a big result
in the general classification
of the Tour de France.
A CLOSER LOOK AT FRENCH CYCLISTS
If he finds himself fighting
for sixth or eighth place, like I said,
it's going to be hard to cheer for him.
David was
chosen as leader simply because
he has the physical
and technical qualities needed.
People will make up
their own minds on social networks.
This year, we have objective benchmarks.
We know what
we need to do to achieve the podium.
Thibaut Pinot is a great rider,
but he's more about the past.
Whereas Gaudu is more about the future.
Hi, everyone!
Hope you're doing well.
So, the mic is on, I'm just
gonna turn the background sound down.
Everyone is different
and has something that makes them tick.
I like spending time alone
because I'm pretty shy.
And so, let's go. Let's go, friends!
I started cycling when I was six,
and it's all I've ever done.
I think what I really enjoyed
was expending a lot of energy,
being able to be outdoors.
For me, since I was a kid,
the Tour de France
has always made me dream because
it's one of
the biggest events in the world.
Boom, there. Let's go.
Gaudu, if he wasn't a pro cyclist,
he'd be totally inconspicuous.
The kind of inconspicuousness
he has in everyday life,
he turns that into a strength.
TOUR DE FRANCE
COMBATIVITY AWARD
And into the ability to develop himself
and surpass others when he's cycling.
It is going to be
a win here for David Gaudu,
of the team of Groupama-FDJ.
David Gaudu sneaks underneath
Wout van Aert on the right-hand side.
That was spectacular.
Yes!
Oh, great!
- Thanks.
- The camera is helping.
- I've never been this good a mechanic!
- It's not usually that quick.
We usually get angry
and break everything.
Boom.
I'll give you this too...
All good? Ready!
- Sure. I'm waiting.
- Let's go then.
DAVID GAUDU'S PARTNER
Marc told me,
"Okay, David, you're going to be leader,
the role of leader in the Tour de France."
It shows the confidence
the team has in me.
It's pretty hot.
Some riders would rather not
have the pressure of being leader.
It's a lot of pressure
and a lot of stress.
But you learn to manage it.
How do you feel?
Fine. I'm learning how to rub up
for the first week of the Tour.
I'm someone
who questions themselves all the time.
I think it's because I generally
have a cautious approach to life.
I don't show my cards.
But I need to prove to myself
that I can take on this role,
and that I can do it.
STAGE 12
It's the second week
of the tour. We're in the Alps.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
David Gaudu in the yellow jersey group.
Go, go!
I think David has
what it takes to succeed.
But he needs to find the confidence
and the ambition needed to be
a leader and to fight for the podium.
And they're off on
the Alpe d'Huez climb. Let the show begin!
DISTANCE COVERED: 150.8 KM
TIME ELAPSED: 4 HRS 22M
ALPE D'HUEZ - 13.8 KM ASCENT
ALTITUDE: 1,869 M
Geraint Thomas
within reach of the podium,
fourth place
in the general classification.
David Gaudu alongside him.
Come on, keep going. Come on, that's good.
Maybe it's Gaudu's moment
for general classification.
But is he able to keep up with
the best climbers on the Tour?
Get out.
Pace is picking up
at the front of the peloton.
A few riders have dropped back.
Gaudu is in trouble!
David Gaudu's in trouble and falling back.
David Gaudu, Groupama-FDJ,
has fallen behind the yellow jersey group.
He's struggling.
A tough time for David Gaudu.
When you get to key points,
the pressure really builds inside you.
I'd say it's more about
the pressure you put on yourself.
Sometimes in the excitement of the moment,
you can get lost
and maybe go off track a little.
One kilometre for David.
Look at these three riders.
Is this gonna be the podium in Paris?
Pogačar, Vingegaard, and Thomas
who's back in third place
in the general classification.
- Good job, Stevo, mate.
- Good job, boys. Thank you. Thanks, bud.
David Gaudu fighting hard
not to fall too far back in the GC.
He messed up on Alpe d'Huez.
Down to seventh place
and far behind the top three.
When I'm not happy with a stage,
internally I'm like, "Dammit."
I mean, I'm disappointed for myself,
disappointed for my teammates,
disappointed for my team.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
We have three questions.
David, a mythical climb.
How tough is it, especially in this heat?
Yeah, it's really tough in this heat.
It's fucking annoying.
I don't have the self-confidence,
and I'm worried about burning out.
So I go at my own pace.
I didn't have the self-confidence
during that last climb,
with the heat and everything.
So, there you go. That's the way it is.
If you're talented,
but don't work on it,
and you don't have
the mental or personal strength,
and if your don't have
the ability to question yourself...
then you're not made for this job.
- Can we join you?
- No. Please, leave me alone.
Sure.
GROUPAMA-FDJ TEAM MEETING
We suffered a defeat.
I also read and saw in the media,
Groupama wants a podium win but wait,
Gaudu always has something wrong with him.
Well, no. That's not what you are.
It's not just the physical aspect.
It's also what's going on up here.
Yes, we're about
to go through tough times.
But if you pull together,
if you work together,
our strength is what we have inside us.
It's in our DNA,
it's our culture, our solidarity.
STAGE 14
David Gaudu, near his limits,
crossing the finish line
just ahead of Geraint Thomas
and clawing back a few seconds.
And you have to find the strength
and teamwork inside you
that is going to get you out of this rut.
STAGE 16
What a comeback for David Gaudu!
The Frenchman is eyeing the podium.
Seven riders have to be there
to support him.
STAGE 17
What incredible work
for Gaudu from his team.
Now it's up to him to finish the job.
Everyone here is committed, behind you.
So we're going to get what we came for,
a podium win on the Tour.
If you believe it, then you might succeed.
And if you don't believe it,
then it's over.
Gaudu is giving his all!
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
David Gaudu's turnaround
after cracking on the Alpe d'Huez stage
is simply remarkable.
But if he wants
to secure the famous podium
that Groupama has hoped for since 2014,
then he's going to have to challenge
a former Tour winner, Geraint Thomas.
You do forget how tired you get.
By the time you get to this stage,
you always forget how you start to feel.
And a couple of weeks after,
you're looking forward to the next time.
It's sadistic.
This year's Tour is... as hard as ever.
But I still want to perform in the Tour,
as long as I can be there,
in touching distance of the yellow jersey.
But the press this year,
it's like, "Oh, G's, like, a bit old now."
"And he's not as good
as what he used to be and stuff."
Which is fine.
That's just the way it is,
and just got to accept it.
The situation at the moment
is looking good, obviously.
Ideally, it'd be nice to just keep
that advantage and, you know,
prove a lot of people wrong.
I think a lot of people
have been writing Geraint Thomas off,
writing his career off, and saying
that he's not going
to be a serious contender.
But sometimes I do think
he deserves to not have
to fight quite so hard.
I kind of felt like
it's more just that hunger
in me to just wanna...
do well, and all the sacrifices
I've made all year,
all the time away
from family and stuff, just...
make sure that's worthwhile, you know?
My wife, she goes
through it all with me really. Um...
Yeah, all the injuries,
the pressure and everything,
she lives it.
She obviously gets super excited
and really happy when I do well, but
she doesn't get to stand on the podium.
- All right. Stand up.
- Nice one.
So, Sar's just texted me.
"You were in high school
before Jonas and Pogačar were born."
Well, thanks for the support, dear
I can see, sort of...
that my career's
gonna stop soon. You know?
And it's not gonna go on forever.
To go from, like,
I've done 16 years pro now,
you know,
to just stop and not have anything.
GERAINT THOMAS' WIFE
Just want to be
a bit prepared for that, really.
More psych... Mentally.
I think when you retire,
I'm used to you being away for,
well, most of the year, so...
- If he's...
- We'll be getting a divorce.
Don't say that!
Geraint Thomas, he's not been at
what I would call his best
for a couple of years.
For one reason or another.
And this does feel like
the last chance saloon for him
to prove himself.
And to show the world what... what he is.
Because he is a great, great rider.
Hopefully, you'll get to...
when you do decide to retire it will be...
Not many people get
to retire on their own terms.
So hopefully, you know,
that'll be a big thing,
and that's kinda why we're trying to do
as much as we can with Max now,
take him to all the races,
because we're fully aware
it doesn't last forever.
Yeah.
Geraint Thomas has to prove himself.
Despite his age, he has to show his team
that he's capable
of reaching the podium in Paris.
STAGE 18
Today is the 18th stage.
A big fight on this Tour.
The last big fight in the mountains.
After three weeks of racing,
we've reached the ultimate test
for the world's best riders, the Pyrenees.
Here, the climbs
are steeper and shorter than in the Alps.
The humidity will be suffocating.
It's going to be a very intense day.
The contenders for third place
on the podium are Geraint Thomas,
Nairo Quintana,
and the Frenchman David Gaudu.
They won't give up.
In this final week,
the riders have given everything
for their place
in the general classification.
Losing it all is out of the question.
The terrain, you see,
at the start there's a little hill,
after that, it's flatter,
and then you have the three big passes.
Which you're familiar with.
I just love
the last three weeks of the major tours.
I've always done well.
I tell myself that if I have legs
for the third week of a major tour,
then I can achieve something huge.
You always try and look ahead
and keep moving forward but,
yeah, definitely gotta be
aware of the guys behind,
because there's some strong riders there.
Stage 18
from Lourdes to Hautacam,
a distance of 143 kilometres.
Third place in
the general classification is in play.
Five, four, three, two, one...
They're off!
Everything is set
for this to be an intense stage.
Leaving Lourdes for Col d'Aubisque,
Col de Spandelles,
and the final climb to Hautacam.
Immediate acceleration
from the green jersey, Wout van Aert.
The Pyrenees, in general,
are kinda seen as a bit more dangerous.
The day where you think there's
the most chance of something to go wrong.
The peloton is in an area
of winding hairpin turns.
You can do everything right,
but it just takes one thing to go wrong,
then you're out of the race.
Whoa!
Oh, a big crash!
Fucking hell!
Oh!
My gosh! Is this
the first Tour de France you've driven in?
Stay calm, mate.
Yeah, right.
Photographer motorbikes!
10.3 KM ASCENT
ALTITUDE: 1,378 M
The yellow jersey group arrives
at the foot of the penultimate challenge,
the pace intensifies.
DISTANCE COVERED: 102 KM
TIME ELAPSED: 2 HRS 47 M
Vingegaard is on Pogačar's wheel,
who is still there
and behind Geraint Thomas.
David Gaudu is in the front group.
Still pursuing a place on the podium.
A mountain stage is mostly
a test of strength and endurance.
You have to be mentally strong,
especially to get a podium win.
The heat
and the pace are hellish.
It must be suffocating for the riders.
I think
experience comes into play.
It's definitely easy to try and
push hard on the pedals for the win,
but it's knowing that
not to exert yourself too much
'cause you're just gonna blow up,
and you can't sustain that.
So, I think that's
a big part of it as well,
just understanding your body.
And know how deep you can go.
Another difficult climb for David Gaudu.
He drops behind the yellow jersey group.
No.
First off, the fatigue is in the mind.
Once you're in a downward spiral,
it's very hard to escape it.
You know you're one of
the best climbers, so don't panic.
A little thought
popped in my head going,
"Damn it, I've worked hard,
I may lose time on Thomas and Quintana."
I have to bounce back for my team.
I have to go for it
and achieve something. You know?
Let's see if David Gaudu
has the legs to try and close the gap.
If you can go further
in terms of suffering and sacrifice,
then you may have a chance.
And that gives you confidence, strength,
and a certain serenity about oneself.
Gaudu has
caught up to Quintana.
He moves up to fourth place
in the general classification
and is closing in on Geraint Thomas.
13.6 KM ASCENT
1,520 M ALTITUDE
Hautacam is a monster,
the last off-the-charts climb
of the Tour de France.
A 13.6 kilometre climb,
it's far and it's steep the whole way.
Geraint Thomas doubling down
to stay close to the favourites.
DISTANCE COVERED: 128.9 KM
TIME ELAPSED: 3 HRS 29 M
Come on. G.,
you need to squeeze it all out,
all the way to the top.
Thomas has a 43-second lead over Gaudu.
Thomas right behind the yellow jersey,
but he's not looking comfortable.
Come on, G,
you're pacing, mate. You're pacing.
Come on, man. All the way to the top.
Geraint Thomas
falls back, losing metre after metre.
You've got around three K, around 3 K now,
and it's steep like this,
9, 10% come on, G.
Now's not the time to crack.
The podium win is in play here.
Fucking hell. Don't cock it up, G.
Geraint Thomas has dropped.
- Excellent!
- Dropped behind the yellow jersey group.
Yes!
There's no
room for sentimentality
about people who achieved
great things in the past.
That doesn't exist.
The young ones are there
to take the place of the older ones,
and the older ones are there
to try and keep going and put off the end.
But the end always comes,
no matter who you are.
When you go it alone,
the climb is always more difficult.
That's when a leader needs his team.
Gaudu is on Madouas' wheel.
Just 22 seconds behind Thomas.
The gap is closing.
To be a leader,
you have to believe in yourself.
But you also have to trust your teammates.
Come on, the three of you
are gonna be at the summit. Go, go, go.
Come on, guys. We've gained
15 seconds in five kilometres.
Madouas moves
out of the way. Gaudu is on his own.
But it won't last,
because Thibaut Pinot is just in front,
re ady to help out his leader.
We have a whole team behind us
so that naturally gives you
a big boost of confidence.
Just another 13 seconds
between Geraint Thomas and David Gaudu.
Thibaut Pinot has given everything.
The French rider is alone now
to try and close the gap.
You're always
after that third place.
Anything can happen
during the third week of Tour.
So many riders can fall out
that we believe we have a chance.
Go, go, go, go!
Got a flat. Back wheel.
- Back wheel.
- Change the bike.
Yeah.
Your back wheel's flat, G.
We can change your bike if you need.
Come on!
They're ten seconds ahead of you.
Change the bike. We got a puncture.
Change bike, change bike.
Go! Go!
Looking good, bud.
So, Dani wait for G, please.
Dani, wait for G.
G, you call it, mate.
You call it. Tell him what to do.
David Gaudu
closing in on Geraint Thomas,
who has third place.
At that moment, you know very well
that to get a podium in the Tour,
it's now or never.
I've definitely
gotten stronger psychologically.
As you rise, the more experience you get.
It can help you keep going
and staying in that front.
Dani and G,
you've gotta fight
all the way to the line. Come on.
There's an adrenaline rush
when you catch another rider.
Because you tell yourself,
"Okay, I caught up,
so maybe I can beat him."
Or, anyway, you want to overtake him.
David Gaudu attempts an attack.
Gaudu's attacking.
Gaudu's accelerating!
Gaudu has just made an attack on Thomas.
Thomas holds on.
If you have riders
who are equally matched physically,
it all comes down to psychology.
It's who can withstand
that pain the longest,
and that's a mental element.
That's where you crack your rivals.
Yes!
The third and fourth riders
in the general classification
are wheel to wheel.
Five hundred metres
from the Hautacam finish line,
you get an adrenaline rush.
You know the race is in play.
You can lose everything at that moment,
so you're totally focused.
Last corner
before the Hautacam finish,
what a duel!
The main thing is blocking out
those demons telling you just to ease up.
You think you're tired,
but, suddenly, you find just new limits.
Last push
from Geraint Thomas,
who consolidates his third place
in the general classification.
And what a stage for David Gaudu,
a Frenchman and fourth
in the general classification.
Well done. Well done, guys.
Fucking hell, that was hard!
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
YELLOW JERSEY
Another hard day, obviously.
I'm glad the mountains
are over, to be fair.
You go back 12 months,
to how much you were suffering,
- did you think you'd be in this position?
- I always believed. I think, uh...
not many other people did.
Did the team have the same level
of belief that you had in yourself?
Uh, I don't think so, really. I think...
It's all talk about
younger generation now, and this and that.
You know, it is what it is. Uh...
So, it's nice to be riding well
and just be best of the rest, so to speak.
I can be really happy
with proving people wrong.
Just saying, "I can still do it."
I can still be competitive
and be right up there
and just proving to myself as well,
because I... I believed I could.
But it's one thing actually believing
and another actually doing it.
It was satisfying.
Can you podium in another Grand Tour?
Let's get this one over first, shall we?
Yeah. Okay.
I like the chip
on Geraint Thomas' shoulder.
He maybe deserves
a bit more of that respect.
But maybe that's part of his makeup
and it's what pushes him
on so much anyway.
Once again,
we're seeing a fighting Geraint Thomas,
and it's worked.
We're currently fourth in the Tour.
For us, the race is a success.
It's the best result
for a Frenchman since 2017.
For sure, it's the best result
for a Frenchman since 2017.
Marc Madiot had a lot of criticism
when he named David Gaudu as team leader.
Okay, fourth place isn't a podium finish,
but it's the best result in many years.
Look at you now.
Have you seen your level now?
- Yes, I know the level I'm at.
- There you go.
Don't change anything, it's all good.
The Pyrenees allowed him
to make great strides
and to be sure of himself
and reassure himself.
And that's something powerful
and important for the future.
I don't want to stop at fourth place,
that's for sure.
I want to create a wave
that will carry us higher
and that's going to enable us
to get even closer to the best.
In my wildest dreams,
I hope that I'll be
the next rider to win the Tour de France.
But only time will tell.
Bravo, Stefan!
We're pleased.
We're happy with what we achieved.
But we also know that we can't
let ourselves get carried away by it all.
Because that could turn against us.
Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogačar.
A man-against-man fight
for the yellow jersey.
Are you still optimistic
that you can win the Tour de France 2022?
Yeah.
The attack is on.
We'll need to have Wout
help me to win the Tour de France.
The Champs-Élysées is
the most iconic sprint finish of the year.
Everybody wants to win.
But first you have
to get over the mountains.
Wout van Aert has dropped.
I could lose the Tour.
He's my friend.