Dan Martin took a great stage win in the Tour two years ago. He's won some of the biggest races in the world and while he has had a number of bad crashes in recent times, he is capable of stage wins and a real tilt at yellow in the Tour.
By Brian Canty
Dan Martin is one of three protected riders in his Cannondale-Garmin squad for the Tour de France which starts in Utrecht in the Netherlands this Saturday.
The Irishman, along with 2012 Giro d'Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal and US national time-trial champion Andrew Talansky, will be supported by a mix of youth and experience.
Jack Bauer, Kristijan Koren, Sebastian Langeveld, Ramunas Navardauskas, Dylan Van Baarle and Nathan Hass make up the nine-man selection
The latter two will be riding their debut Tours but it's still an extremely strong outfit which should be capable of mounting a serious general classification challenge as well as contesting for stage wins.
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Navardauskas won a brilliant stage last year and Martin won the previous year but they've went very close on countless other occasions; Jack Bauer's monumental effort last year the one that stands out.
For Martin, an exciting three weeks lies in store.
The parcours is suited to his characteristics and having missed much of the season so far because of injury he'll be keen to make up for lost time.
He looked excellent at the Criterium du Dauphine recently where he took seventh overall from a world class field.
Having missed so much racing, that result is bound to have given him confidence.
And with Hesjedal as an ideal ally in the mountains, he should be able to put it up to the best of them when the road goes up.
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The team is packed with riders who can win a stage and in the three protected riders the squad has three men all capable of taking the yellow jersey along the way.
And though the race looks to be the most competitive for years, Martin is an outside chance for a final podium placing in Paris.
"We are going into the Tour de France with three leaders, all of whom have very different riding styles, and those styles compliment each other," said Charly Wegelius, director sportif.
"Andrew, Dan and Ryder have shown they work well together, and that will translate to the roads of the Tour.
"Supporting them is a strong bunch. Ramunas showed his strength with a stage win last year, and Jack Bauer will be looking for redemption after coming so close to a win in 2014.
"Sebastian is our road captain and his leadership and experience will be invaluable in the wind in Holland, over the cobbles and thought the entire race.
"Kristijan is skilled at moving around the peloton and helping riders maintain and keep their position.
"Dylan and Nathan will be riding their first Tour de France and will support and learn from the more senior riders on the team.
"Each rider is capable of stage wins, and working together we expect them to make the race exciting."
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