German rider will contend for victory in race’s two TT tests
Recognised as one of the top time trial riders in the world, Tony Martin (HTC Highroad) will fight for the win in today’s prologue of the Criterium du Dauphine and also in the longer 42.5 kilometre time trial on Wednesday. However in addition to that, the German has big aspirations in the race, wanting to achieve a top five overall placing en route to top ten in the Tour de France.
Martin won Paris-Nice earlier this year and also took the Volta ao Algarve. His time trialing is well known and with his climbing becoming stronger, he feels that it is time that he steps up a gear in cycling’s biggest race. The Dauphine will be a good test.
“I feel really strong and it will be a very good test for the Tour de France,” he told Cyclism’Actu. “The most important thing for me is the race against the clock, in which I am motivated to do well. This time trial will play an important role in this race because it is rather long and it is very hard. It will also be the same as we have on the Tour in July. This is really my goal and we will see how the rest of the race goes.
“I can not say that I am sure to win [the time trial]. Many other riders are motivated to have a good result because it is the same [time trial] as the Tour de France. I am aiming for top 5 overall and that would be like a victory for me, it’s sure that I’d be very happy with that. But in cycling nothing is ever certain.”
Martin’s strong rides in Paris-Nice and the Volta ao Algarve were followed more recently with second overall in the Tour de Romandie, eighteen seconds behind Cadel Evans. Since then he’s been continuing his buildup towards the Tour.
Speaking to VeloNation prior to Liège-Bastogne-Liège, he explained how those two early season performances had boosted his ambition.
“It is really important because it showed that I can beat the really big guys,” he said in a video interview. “It was my goal to go for GC in Paris-Nice, to get on the podium, and then I won it, so I saw that when I have a goal, I can really make it. That gives me confidence for the Tour de France.”
He’s now continuing that path onwards, and sees the Dauphiné as an important step. “Obviously I’m in this race with the Tour de France in mind,” he told Cyclism’Actu. “This will be my very good barometer for where I am and how I am positioned vis-à-vis the competition, to see if my altitude training will pay off. The Dauphiné will also allow me to continue to progress and work to be even better in the Tour de France next month.”
Once he gets there, he’s sure about what he wants to achieve in France. “I go to the Tour with the goal of finishing in the top 10. I also want to wear the yellow jersey and win a stage, racing against the clock. I think I can, and I’ll do anything for that.”
To do so, he’ll be up against riders such as world champion Fabian Cancellara, who he has beaten in the past, and Bradley Wiggins, who bested Cancellara in the recent Bayern Rundfahrt. Other riders are likely to also fight for victory, making the time trial clashes in the Tour a mouth-watering prospect.