Dan Martin has said with 54,000 metres of climbing and more stages than ever that can shape the general classification, the Tour de France could be the hardest of the modern era.
But he says the race will be a
monumental one, adding it is such a huge fixture in the global sporting calendar
it never ceases to inspire.
“Last year’s stage win was an amazing
feeling, so obviously I’d like to win another," Dan Martin (32) said of
his victory atop Mur de Bretagne last year.
"The general classification is
always the target and if we can put up a fight and finish well in that then
I’ll be pleased.”
In the UEA Team Emirates line-up with Martin
this year is Fabio Aru; the Italian a former Grand Tour winner on the comeback
trail after iliac artery surgery.
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And in the absence of sprinter Fernando
Gaviria the team has Alexander Kristoff for the sprints.
It has also selected Sven Erik Bystrøm,
Rui Costa, Sergio Henao, Vegard Stake Laengen and Jasper Philipsen.
“It has a good mix of guys, all with
different strengths,” Dan Martin said of what is a strong group.
“We have a proven sprinter with
Alexander Kristoff, who I’m sure will be hoping for another stage win after the
one he picked up last year.
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"It’s great to see Fabio Aru back
in the team as well – he is so passionate. But maybe hasn’t had the rub of the
green over the past year.
“So I’m sure he will be eager to go out
and prove a point. But there is no pressure or expectation on him and mentally
that can be a real help.
"I believe the team has some of the
best domestiques around, and I know I’ll be able to
rely on them when the going gets tough.
“It’s just a great all-round team, great
atmosphere and positive vibe. I’m sure we can do great things together.”
Martin said while he had been a
professional cyclist for years, the Tour de France still felt like a huge
moment.
"You feel it from the moment you
arrive at the Grand Depart, to the moment you cross the finish line in
Paris," he said.
"The atmosphere the fans create is
electric and it ripples through the peloton. It makes the hairs on the back of
your neck stand up.
"To have a race that is so old, but
still has that impact just goes to show how important this race is to the
sport.”
He also believed the race was so hilly
there were about 10 stages that could shape the general classification, with
few if any days off. But he believed he was ready.
“I convinced myself to recon the three
stages in the Alps straight after the Dauphine so it actually felt like I had
been racing for eleven days in the end,” he said.
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