Dan Martin looks shattered after his battle with the pavé. He has said he now has to give it everything to repay the team's continued belief in him despite his crash on Saturday's stage 8 (Photo: UAE Team Emirates – @PhotoFizza)
Dan Martin still aiming for Tour de France final podium
Caked in dust and sweat in Roubaix on Sunday evening, Dan Martin insisted his fight for a place on the final podium at the Tour de France is not over.
The Irish rider lost time yesterday when he crashed. And he had also relinquished time in the team time trial on stage 3.
But, despite his injuries from his crash 24 hours earlier, Martin (UAE Team Emirates) rode very well on Sunday’s stage 9 with its fifteen sectors of pavé.
He finished in a select group containing many of the general classification favourites. And at one point towards the end of the stage he was even briefly off the front and picked up a time bonus.
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At the end of the 156.5km crash-marred stage from Arras Citadelle to Roubaix, John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) won a three-man sprint from a breakaway for victory.
A further 19 seconds back a four-man group finished. And then just eight seconds after that arrived the large group that Martin was in; 27 riders in total with the Irish rider 32nd on the day.
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It was a very good ride by Martin; a lightweight climber for whom pavé is alien. The physical and mental blow of his crash yesterday also did not appear to weigh on him too heavily.
One of his rivals for the general classification – Richie Porte (BMC Racing) – crashed out today. Another, Rigoberto Uran (EF-Education First Drapac) lost 1:28 to Martin and the group he was in.
“That was incredibly hard and I have a new level of respect for the guys that ride Paris-Roubaix,” Dan Martin said at the finish.
“It was an amazing experience and – in a strange way – I loved every minute. It would have been nicer without all the crashes.
“But at the end of the day my bike was faultless. We made it to the finish line and we’re still in the fight for the podium.
“Even after the crash yesterday, the team still believes in me 100 per cent. So I have to give it everything.
“I stayed relaxed and composed; made sure I ate and drank before the cobbled sections.
“And I hung back when I needed to, knowing that the team would help me pick my way back to the front when the time was right.”
At the finish today Degenkolb bested yellow jersey Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) for victory. They were with Belgian national champion Yves Lampaert (QuickStep), who finished 3rd.
Van Avermaet extended his overall lead and now has 43 seconds over Geraint Thomas (Team Sky).
However, he will lose the jersey when the racing hits the high mountains after tomorrow’s rest day.
Dan Martin is now 24th overall at 3:22. He remains around two minutes down on many of his rivals, only one of whom - Uran - lost any significant time today.
More to follow.
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