Dan Martin has admitted to feeling well below par this week at the Tour of Oman but he's battling on.
Dan Martin has said he is feeling well below par at this week’s Tour of Oman with his results suggesting he has quite a bit to go before he has the early-season form he had in 2013.
The Tour de France stage winner started this week in the Gulf as one of the pre-race favourites.
But having lost time on three consecutive days it has become apparent he's suffering ill-health.
“You can have all the ambition in the world but if your body doesn’t react, it’s not going to happen,” he said.
“Maybe I’ll wake up feeling really good and I’ll give it a crack for sure. I’m here to push myself and I’m here to ride for the team.
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“I’ve got to be realistic as well – I feel like shit.”
That much was confirmed today as he lost 3:24 to stage winner and new race leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).
The Italian is 15 seconds clear of Frenchman Roman Bardet (Ag2r La Mondiale) overall going into tomorrow’s penultimate stage as overnight leader Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) dropped to sixth.
Sam Bennett (Bora Argon 18) lost almost 18 minutes and he too is getting it rough, though he should have a chance in Sunday’s final stage.
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In Spain, Nicolas Roche finished 1:05 down on the group that contested the third stage of the Ruta del Sol.
But his Team Sky squad were buoyed by Ben Swift taking the race lead after finishing second today.
The Briton was beaten by Italian Oscar Gatto (Tinkoff) in the gallop but took the jersey on count-back.
Tomorrow’s stage is a 21-kilometre time trial where the general classification will take real shape ahead of Sunday’s final showdown.
Meanwhile, in the Volta Ao Algarve, Stephen Clancy finished the 18-kilometre time-trial 3:29 down on winner Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo).
The Swiss rider took a morale-boosting win after his annus horribilus in 2015 which saw him break two vertebrae in a crash at the Tour de France.
The race concludes Sunday.
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