German rider says race is important part of his buildup to become world champion
HTC Highroad rider Tony Martin will go head to head with his big rival Fabian Cancellara (Leopard Trek) in today’s time trial at the Vuelta a España. With his team due to stop at the end of the year, the mainly flat 47 kilometre test is a chance for him to both win the last Grand Tour time trial the squad will take part in, and also as part of his buildup for the world championships.
The German rider has had a superb season, winning the Volta ao Algarve and Paris-Nice, and also clocking up time trial successes in a number of races including the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de France. At the same time, Cancellara has appeared less consistent in races against the clock than before, giving Martin additional motivation in chasing the rainbow jersey.
“I’ve more or less come to the Vuelta because of this time trial. The whole Vuelta is a preparation for the world championship,” he said, speaking in advance of his 14.20 start in the test. “My big goal is to become the world champion for time trial. From what I’ve heard before seeing the course in Salamanca, it’s pretty flat and I prefer the courses that are a bit hillier like the one of Grenoble at the Dauphiné and the Tour de France. A time trial is always different after ten days of racing than when it’s a one-day race, but I’m here for a result.”
Martin’s race will take place 39 minutes after that of Cancellara, and he will have the advantage of having the latter’s time checks to work off. However whatever happens, he claims that he won’t be obsessed about the result. “I won’t take it as a test against Cancellara. We both have the same goal in Salamanca and at the world championship but whatever happens here, it won’t work as a mental game for me,” he insisted. “I’m fully focused on my preparation for the Worlds.”
The notion of a Martin-Cancellara showdown is declared the most likely outcome by RadioShack directeur sportif, Viatceslav Ekimov. “I know this time trial, we’ve done it before at the Vuelta,” he said. “It’s flat with long straight lines and often windy. For the stage win, it’ll be either Tony Martin or Fabian Cancellara.”
As regards the overall classification battle, he believes that one of his riders will be the top showing. “I don’t think that Bradley Wiggins will win. Janez Brajkovic would have enjoyed an undulated course more than this one but he has to be the best of the GC contenders today!” he said. “The windier the better for him. There’s a coup to be done.”
Time trials based out of Salamanca have featured in three relatively recent editions of the race. In 1995 the current Vuelta technical director Abraham Olano beat Laurent Jalabert and Alex Zulle to win, and then four years later he bested Jan Ullrich and Angel Casero.
The most recent TT victor in the city was David Millar, who won a 12 kilometre opening stage there ten years ago.