David Gaudu finishes second in icy trail running epic

Whether it be Mathieu van der Poel agreeing to an Ironman challenge, Michał Kwiatkowski running a marathon or Jasper Philipsen clocking up his own wintry half-marathon, the best WorldTour riders are increasingly finding off-the-bike activities to supplement their training over the winter.

Groupama-FDJ's David Gaudu has added his name to that list this off-season, with the Frenchman competing in the legendary trail running event ASICS SaintéLyon on Saturday evening.

Beset by freezing cold conditions, a blanket of snow covering the hills between Saint-Étienne and Lyon, and a team training camp on the horizon, Gaudu was nonetheless in high spirits when speaking to L'Équipe ahead of the start just before midnight.

“I think trail running is the closest thing to cycling in terms of effort. It's a fight against yourself, like in a mountain pass. There are adversaries, of course, but above all, it's about pushing your limits, you only rely on yourself," he said.

When asked why the ASICS SaintéLyon was his chosen challenge this winter, the 27-year-old explained that it had long been a challenge set between him and his friend, former French national trail running champion Alexandre Fine.

The pair competed in the 78km two-man relay race that traversed over 2,000m of elevation gain. Gaudu completed the first half before his teammate took over for the closing kilometres, taking second place at the finish.

“[It was] a challenge between friends,” Gaudu explained. “It gets me off the bike, it's good for my head because I've always loved running, and it works the muscles a little. Thibaut [Pinot] always did cross-country skiing in winter, it's his passion. For me, it’s the trail!"

• Read more: 'Thibaut is God for us' – Spending a day with the Collectif Ultras Pinot at Il Lombardia

Gaudu and Fine accomplish a commendable second place in ASICS SaintéLyon

The ASICS SaintéLyon race is a legendary event in the world of trail running, having been founded by walkers in 1951 and open to competitors since 1977, but it was not to be Gaudu's first rodeo in the sport.

For the past two years, Gaudu has placed inside the top 20 at the Menestrail in his home region of Brittany, with the proud Breton clocking up a sub-three-hour time earlier this year following a battle with his future ASICS SaintéLyon partner, Fine.

Setting out on his 34km stretch going into the early hours of Sunday morning, Gaudu had one goal in mind - "to not leave Alex too far from the lead at the relay point" - and they made the exchange sitting in fifth place.

At the finish line in Lyon, the 2018 national trail running champion has catapulted himself and Gaudu up to second place, with the pair finishing just nine minutes down on the winning pair, Eloi Guigon and Augustin Kerhardy.

Gaudu suffered a brief fall at the beginning of his relay, but the fan favourite explained that Groupama-FDJ were happy enough to let him compete in a sport that brings him much enjoyment.

“These are my passions on the side," Gaudu told L'Équipe. "Thibaut [Pinot] has this thing too: his goats, his farm. I've been immersed in video games since I was a kid, I've been trail running for several years. These are moments that make us feel good and where we can get our heads off the bike. Because doing 'bike, eat, sleep' days can lead to burnout.”

Next up for Gaudu, he has his eyes on the Diagonale des Fous and the UTMB trail running events - 165km on Reunion Island and 171km around Mont-Blanc, respectively - but first, he will head to Spain at the beginning of this week to participate in a team training camp.