Dan Martin talks Paris-Nice, his growth as QuickStep rider
In the second season of a two-year contract, the stage race evidence points to Dan Martin staying at QuickStep.
Fresh from an excellent 3rd place on the final general classification, Dan Martin has said his ride at Paris-Nice reflects his growth as a QuickStep rider.
The Irishman is currently in the final year of a two-year contract with the team.
But on the basis of his form last year and so far this season in stage races he may be well advised to look to extend.
He was in a position to fight for the outright win and took the fight to the yellow jersey Sergio Henao on the last stage into Nice.
Martin may have slipped down one place to 3rd overall on that final day, but that was only due to a stunning ride by Alberto Contador (Trek-Segafredo) who went on a 50km attack.
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Martin can clearly now look forward to the classics and the Tour de France with lots of confidence.
“I couldn't follow Alberto when he attacked,” Martin said of the brilliant racing yesterday.
“From that moment on it was a case of dropping Sergio, which I did on Col d'Èze.
“But the others chased me back immediately. When I realized the GC victory was out of the question, I said in the radio that David should go,” he added of team mate David De La Cruz who was with Contador up the road.
“Seeing him win this stage is really great. I am extremely happy for him. He gave everything this week for us and deserves to be there.”
Contador, top, and Henao, above.
He said he was very happen to have made the podium in such a big stage race.
"Third in the general classification at such a big as Paris-Nice is an important result in my career.
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“(It is) solid proof of how much I have developed since joining Quick-Step Floors, especially as I didn't arrived here in the best condition.
“I am also satisfied and super glad to see the entire squad on the podium at the end of this race, as this fantastic team spirit is what brought us at the top", he added of QuickStep winning the team prize.
Dan Martin stage race growth as QuickStep rider
Martin rode a great opening stage to claim 6th when he made the front group in the cross winds.
He followed that up by again riding well and preserving his position on the crosswinds the following day.
And on stage three, won by compatriot Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) Martin finished in the bunch.
Then came the TT and Martin’s 13th place. It was a ride perhaps overlooked because of the excitement of the road stages but it was an excellent performance.
With most of the 14.5km flat, though there was a nasty climb at the end, and Martin not a tester, his TT was arguably his best performance of the week.
Dan Martin, top, Julian Alaphilippe.
A place in the bunch followed on stage 5 before he put in brilliant performances to take 3rd and 5th on Friday and Saturday.
He helped to keep team mate Julian Alaphilippe in the yellow jersey on Friday, though the young Frenchman would lose it on the summit finish of the penultimate stage.
Dan Martin ended the race with 13th yesterday, after attacking yellow jersey Henao.
That attack was nullified by others in the yellow jersey group and Martin was clip from 2nd to 3rd overall.
But the fact only he and Contador were attacking to try and win the race outright on the last day sums up his week.
And his Paris-Nice ride is the latest in a series of very strong stage race performances already this season.
Dan Martin was 5th overall in the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (2.1) in February and 3rd in the race against the clock there – an uphill test.
Last month he was Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.HC), won a stage and was runner-up in the climbers’ classification.
In his first year at QuickStep last season he was 3rd overall in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT) and won a stage.
He was also 3rd overall at the Criterium du Dauphiné (2.UWT) and was 9th overall at the Tour de France.
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