Dan Martin climbs better in France; Roglic wins battle over faltering Bernal

*Primoz Roglic takes the victory today from Egan Bernal, who looked vulnerable despite finishing in 2nd place on the stage and overall at Tour de l'Ain*

After hemorrhaging time on the climbs yesterday at Tour de l’Ain, Ireland’s Dan Martin rode much better on Sunday’s final stage when he climbed for most of the race with the strongest riders.

The Israel Start-Up Nation rider was eventually distanced
from the select group in the closing kilometres on the Grand Colombier.

However, after conceding over 12 minutes yesterday on
stage 2 to the main favourites his performance today – when he was 9^th
at 1:16 - will settle the nerves within his new team ahead of the Tour de
France.

The same cannot be said for Team Ineos as Egan Bernal,
who finished 2^nd today, looked laboured and was once again left
exposed as Jumbo Visma put in a much better team performance.

The stage belonged to Primoz Roglic who took victory in
the yellow jersey after he won yesterday’s stage and took the race lead.

After the early escapees had been caught today, the finale between the heavy hitters unfolded on the final climb, with Team Ineos leading the way on the lower slopes.

*While Team Ineos set the pace up much of the final climb, Jumbo Visma looked much stronger over the past two days in the mountains*

*Dan Martin had a nightmare yesterday but he looked much stronger today, despite being distance by the strongest riders towards the end of the stage*

Chris Froome was one of those pushing the pace on the
front but when he and Jonathan Castroviejo peeled off with about 7km to go, it
looked as if Bernal was laboring a little.

At that point he was the only Team Ineos rider left in
the group though Jumbo Visma had four; Roglic, Tom Dumoulin, George Bennett and
Steven Kruijswijk.

With about 3km to go, and with Jumbo Visma having assumed pace-setting duties, Richie Porte (Trek-Segafredo) put in a number of attacks.

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At that point the only riders in the group apart from
Porte, Bernal and four Jumbo Visma men were Dan Martin, Nairo Quinta (Arkea
Samsic) and Guillaume Martin (Cofidis).

When Porte attacked, Dan Martin and Egan
Bernal were at the back of the group and both looked vulnerable; Martin letting
the wheel go and Bernal drifting out the back a little with him.

However, while Bernal looked in real trouble, he eventually clawed his way back onto the group, though Martin was unable to; Kruijswijk and Dumoulin also being spat out.

*The final podium: Primoz Roglic wins from Egan Bernal and Nairo Quintana. This could be the final podium at the Tour de France, though in any order*

Porte surged again with 2km to go and also just inside
the final kilometre though he failed to shake off the other big guns.

Deep inside the final kilometre it was Bernal who
attacked last but Roglic was straight onto his wheel and after a very short
effort Bernal looked spent.

Roglic then took it up on the front and when he
accelerated as the line approached he immediately distanced Bernal and won the
stage with apparent ease, wrapping up his overall win in the process.

Bernal was next over the line, four seconds back, followed
by Quintana at six seconds, Guillaume Martin at eight seconds and Porte at 16
seconds, Kruijswijk, Bennett and Dumoulin before Dan Martin in 9^th
at 1:16.

Roglic won overall by 18 seconds from Bernal, with
Quintana in 3^rd at 28 seconds. Dan Martin was out of the running due
to his time loss yesterday; finishing in 17^th at 13:59.

Worryingly for Team Ineos, Geraint Thomas was nowhere to
be seen for the weekend; 47^th today at nearly 16 minutes and 34^th
overall at 21:09. Froome was at least able to contribute to the team workload was
not part of the race for stage or overall honours, finishing 30^th
today over 12 minutes down and in 41^st overall nearly 27 minutes down.