Alto de la Covatilla where he had previously taken a stage win. He was forced into fighting for his 4th place overall as Enric Mas was ahead with team support. But Martin powered on, with Wout Poels and Alejandro Valverde in tow, and held his GC position ahead of the final stage
Dan Martin has rounded off what might have been a
troubled season for him with a career-best performance in a Grand Tour.
The Irish rider not only finished 4th overall
at La Vuelta but took a victory on stage 3 and climbed with the best every day
bar stage 17, but even then limiting his losses very well.
In the end his 4th place overall came behind
three riders that proved stronger than him – winner Primoz Roglic (Jumbo
Visma), runner-up Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) and 3rd placed
rider Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling).
The fact those riders were stronger than him is something Martin seemed at peace with; happy in the knowledge he’d done his best and been rewarded with the best result he was capable of.
It could all have been very different as he had crashed in Criterium du Dauphine in August and fractured a bone in his back.
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He was forced to abandon that race and was then faced a fight to be even on the start line of the Tour de France; a moment when his season could have easily collapsed.
However, Martin was determined to plough on and get to the Tour, even if the best he could hope for was to get around the race with one eye on La Vuelta.
When he made it to the French Grand Tour, he made up the numbers in the opening half of the race before flashes of the Dan Martin we know came through, slowly but surely, as the race wore on.
And then in the early days of La Vuelta it was clear he was in great condition mentally and physically; indeed back to a level he had not reached for at least two years.
His victory on stage 3 was very much Martin at his best;
a win delivered with the strongest kick on a climb we’ve seen from him since
his win on Mur de Bretagne during the 2018 Tour de France.
Martin said his and his team’s effort at the Vuelta got
off to an “incredible start” with three podium finishes for him on the first
three stages, including his win – ahead of Roglic and Carapaz – on stage 3.
After that stage victory, Martin’s emotions – the release
of pressure he was under coupled with the joy at winning – got the better of
him in his post-stage interview.
He said he was delighted to get the victory, which meant a huge amount to him as it was the first time he had scored a victory since his twin daughters were born two years ago.
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“It was a really nice feeling to get that victory,” he
said, adding it was payback for the confidence that Israel Start-Up Nation had
in him.
“Everyone in this organisation understands that every
time I click into my pedals, I’m going to give 100 per cent,” he said. “It’s
that belief that pushes you extra in training and pushes you on in racing.”
Martin explained that his 4th place overall
was the best result of his career in a Grand Tour and was one that filled him
with satisfaction.
“I did my best every day; I rode an almost perfect race
in my opinion. I wouldn’t change much at all,” he said.
“There was three guys better… but that’s why it’s such a good feeling; I did my best and 4th was the best we could have got out of this race.”
He also praised the “work ethic” of the team, saying it
had driven him and everybody else inside the WorldTour outfit forward.
He added that was instrumental in the final week of the
race when fatigue started to set in.
“I’ve at least tried to bring the experience and the
lessons I’ve learned from all my teams to help improve this team and I feel we’ve
made a huge step this year,” he said.
While now aged 34 years, Marin has demonstrated in this
Vuelta that his best years are not behind.
“I don’t see age as a barrier because I think as long as you still love the sport; with the right balance of experience and the passion that we all share in this team it’s up to myself and train hard every single day. That’s what’s more important."
Dan Martin continued: “It’s quiet a special thing in this sport that age is quite irrelevant. Age is just a number. I still feel like I turned pro last year.”
Looking ahead to next year, Martin will have a lot of new
team mates as his team strengthens considerably with the arrival of Chris
Froome, Michael Woods, Daryl Impey and others.
“I’m sure Chris has got a lot to teach me, especially
about Grand Tour racing. He’s the greatest rider of our generation,” Martin
said.
“I’m really looking forward to having him around. We’ve already
been talking over the last four months on how to improve things,” he added,
saying a lot of new perspective was coming into the team.
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