A former winner at the Ardennes Classics, Dan Martin will
miss the races this year in favour of the Tour of the Alps.
The Irish cyclist and his Israel Start-Up Nation team
have decided the stage race in France will be a better tune up for the Giro d’Italia
than the Ardennes Classics.
Those classics are made up of Amstel Gold this Sunday, La
Flèche Wallonne next Wednesday and Liège-Bastogne-Liège four days later, though
Martin will now miss all three.
The development will come as a disappointment to Irish
fans as Martin looked close to his best again last year, with 4th in La Vuelta,
and also put together very solid results in the Ardennes after a few
indifferent outings.
However, a strong ride in the Alps, where he will race alongside team mate Chris Froome, would set Martin up nicely for results at the Giro; where he is capable of stage wins and podium general classification ride if on song.
Advertisement
Martin (34) said he was now looking forward to riding the
Tour of the Alps, which starts on Monday and which he has never ridden before.
“In past years, I’ve always been so focused on the Ardennes Classics that I have had to watch what looks like a beautiful and challenging race on TV,” he said.
Related News
“As a team we decided that Tour of the Alps would be the best way to prepare for the Giro and I’m looking forward to test my legs and see what is possible after having been hampered by illness so far this year,” he said, adding Froome’s presence on his team this year had boosted everyone.
“I’m excited to race with him again and I’m sure we can make a good team. With our combined experience, tactically we will be strong.
“And the race is of course an important step for both of us in the season as Chris continues improving towards the Tour de France and myself to really tune up for the Giro.
“We plan to be aggressive and chase stage victories. This is an important week of racing before the grande partenza, but to take home a result would be a great confidence boost and a big result in its own right.”
Dan Martin has ridden extremely well in the Ardennes
classics during his career; winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège eight years ago.
He was 2nd in 2017 and 5th in 2012. In 2014 he looked set to win when he crashed on the final corner. And in La Flèche Wallonne he has been in the top six five times, though he’s yet to win it.
Four years ago he was 2nd in both Liège–Bastogne–Liège and La Flèche Wallonne; beaten in both by Valverde. His results then became less consistent, until last season when he came good again, placing 5th in La Flèche Wallonne and 11th in Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
Topics
