Martin is a rare breed in that he can both climb and sprint; a deadly combination given next year's Tour de France parcours (Photo: Sirotti)
Having put together his best ever Grand Tour overall performance at the Vuelta a Espana this season to take 7th place, Dan Martin must surely be eyeing next year’s Tour de France as a likely podium finisher.
The 2015 route for the world’s greatest race was outlined in Paris today, and with just 14km of individual time trialing and six major summit finishes, it is tailored made for a rider with the climbing aggression of Martin.
It is no exaggeration to say this route, with the least amount of time trialing since testing was introduced to the race in 1947, has Martin’s name all over it.
Advertisement
Indeed the parcours is so suited to climbers as against those riders who gain in the time trial that last year’s winner Chris Froome has already said the race does not suit him and he may focus instead on the Giro-Vuelta double
It is difficult to know how that might impact the two Irish riders on Froome’s Team Sky namely Philip Deignan and Nicolas Roche.
Deignan has already ridden well in the service of Froome on this year’s Vuelta and Roche has said his main reason for joining the team was to help the Briton on his way to Tour de France victory.
The race next year will feature no less than nine stages that finish uphill, with five of those full blown summit finishes at the end of mountain stages.
Related News
However, even the smaller climbs that some of the other stages finish on will suit the explosive climbing ability and sprinting prowess of Martin.
His first chance of a stage win comes just three days in when the finish is located atop the Mur du Huy ramp that plays host to La Flèche Wallonne every April.
The Irishman finished 2nd in that race this year and would dearly love to add a second stage win on the Tour to his palmares on such an iconic ascent.
Aside from the opening day's 14km time trial, the only other race against the clock is the 28km team test on stage 9. Even that finishes uphill, a factor that may suit Martin.
All in all, Martin really has to fancy his chances here of getting on the podium or going very close to it.
Ireland's Dan Martin on his way to stage 9 victory in the Tour de France last year (Photo: Sirotti)
Tour de France route, 2015
- Stage 1: July 4 - Utrecht, 14km individual time trial
- Stage 2: July 5 - Utrecht to Zeeland, 166km (flat stage)
- Stage 3: July 6 - Antwerp to Huy, 154km (finishes at the top of Mur de Huy wall)
- Stage 4: July 7 - Seraing to Cambrai, 221km (includes seven sections of pave, 13km in total)
- Stage 5: July 8 - Arras to Amiens, 189km (sprinters’ stage)
- Stage 6: July 9 - Abbeville to Le Havre, 191km (rouleurs’ stage)
- Stage 7: July 10 - Livarot to Fougeres, 190km (sprinters’ stage)
- Stage 8: July 11 - Rennes to Mur de Bretagne, 179km (finishes up 2km ramp)
- Stage 9: July 12 - Vannes to Plumelec, 28km team time trial (uphill finish)
- Rest Day: July 13
- Stage 10: July 14 - Tarbes to La Pierre Saint-Martin, 167km (only climb provides summit finish)
- Stage 11 July 15 - Pau to Cauterets-Vallee de Saint-Savin, 188km (finishes atop small climb after Col d'Aspin and the Tourmalet.
- Stage 12: July 16 - Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille, 195km (four major climbs including summit finish)
- Stage 13: July 17 - Muret to Rodez, 200km (some sprinters may survive the medium climbing)
- Stage 14: July 18 - Rodez to Mende, 178km (finishes atop Cote de la Crox Neuve, 3km at 10 per cent)
- Stage 15: July 19 - Mende to Valence, 182km (sprinters’ stage)
- Stage 16: July 20 - Bourg de Peage to Gap, 201km (may suit breakaway specialists)
- Rest Day: July 21
- Stage 17: July 22 - Digne-les-Bains to Pra-Loup, 161km (third mountain of day is summit finish)
- Stage 18: July 23 - Gap to Saint-Jean de Maurienne, 185km (four climbs but flat finish)
- Stage 19: July 24 - Saint-Jean de Maurienne to La Toussuire-Les Sybelles, 138km (summit finish La Toussuire - Les Sybelles is fourth climb of the day)
- Stage 20: July 25 - Modane Valfrejus to Alpe d’Huez, 110km (Col du Télégraphe, the Galibier and l'Alpe-d'Huez summit finish).
- Stage 21: July 26 - Sevres to Paris, 107km
Topics
