Video: Aggressive Martin rips it up in glory or die effort in Catalunya

This video picks up the action with 12km remaining, just as Dan Martin decides to rip it up.

By Brian Canty

Dan Martin came within 100 metres of winning the final stage of the Volta A Catalunya in Barcelona yesterday afternoon but was mopped up by a fast finishing bunch.

The Cannondale-Garmin man started 10th overall at 1:35 and was never likely to pull back that deficit – even with a 10-second time bonus on the line for the stage winner.

But the Irishman was determined to try and salvage more than a top 10 for his team so he went on the attack 12 kilometres from the finish on the lumpy circuit in the Catalan capital.

Martin immediately got a gap on the bunch that was being patrolled by Movistar at the time.

They had their sights set on overall victory through their main man Alejandro Valverde who started the stage fourth overall at 16 seconds.

Having already won stages 2 and 5 of the race this week, Valverde not only needed to win again but also to cross the line six seconds ahead of the bunch.

And he had to hope Porte wouldn’t get second or third as there were time bonuses there too.

That scenario would have given Valverde the time he needed to win the race outright.

Porte and his Sky team were also very keen to bring the race to a sprint and not allow anyone of Martin’s calibre escape.

Thus, it was to be a short-lived sally up the road by Martin as Sky, thanks to Woet Poels and David Lopez, reeled the Irishman in.

Valverde launched the attack that everyone knew he would and pulled out a sizeable lead that took all of Team Sky’s might to reel him back in.

Even Chris Froome went out the back, though the 2013 Tour de France champion has been suffering with illness this week.

Inside the three-kilometre to go banner Martin attacked again and this time got an even bigger gap than he had previously.

A moment’s hesitation behind gave him the slightest chance but Movistar and Sky kicked back into gear, as well as a host of others hunting the stage win.

Martin gave it socks on yesterday's final stage but having dominated this race a couple of years ago he won't be happy with his ride last week. However, his form heading towards the climbers classics looks fantastic.

Martin was still clear under the one kilometre to go banner and even with the bunch hot on his heels he looked to have done enough to hang on.

Alas, it wasn’t to be as the dramatically reduced bunch wound up for the sprint and overtook Martin seconds from the line.

Valverde took the stage win from Bryan Coquard (Europcar) and yesterday’s stage winner Sergei Chernetckii (Katusha) to take a 10-second time bonus which moved him up to second overall with Domenico Pozzevivo (Ag2r La Mondiale) third at five seconds.

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) slipped off the podium and finished fourth overall at seven seconds.

Martin remained 10th overall at 1:35.

Meanwhile, his cousin Nicolas Roche can reflect on a job very well done after safeguarding Porte to the finish against a flurry of late attacks.

In doing so, Roche has now been a part of successive WorldTour stage races after he also helped Porte to win Paris Nice earlier this month.

The Irishman has been immense all week in service of his team leader, doing much of the donkey work that often goes unseen by TV viewers.

On Thursday, Roche did some huge turns in the crosswinds to protect Porte’s interests in the overall while on Friday, he was also at the service of the Tasmanian.

Roche was spared somewhat yesterday afternoon on the 194-kilometre stage from Cervera to Port Aventura but huge credit must go to Vasil Kiryienka, Leopold Konig, Xabier Xandio and Chris Froome for their efforts.