Dan Martin's TT let him down at the Volta ao Algarve. But he kept a low profile today ahead of a golden opportunity tomorrow on a finishing climb that should really suit him. Dylan Groenewegen of LottoNL-Jumbo won today's stage 4, above.
Final stage climb in Algarve can suit Dan Martin
A below average TT effort by Dan Martin on yesterday’s Volta ao Algarve means he would now have to do something extraordinary to make an impact on the general classification.
But with a short, sharp sting in the tail at the end of tomorrow’s final stage, the Irish rider will fancy his chances.
The 173.5km trek from Faro to Malhão-Loulé features three cat 3 ascents and two cat 2 climbs.
The final 3km to the top of the category 2 summit finish looks like a climb that can suit Martin.
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Last year he scored his only victory of the season on this race; taking the summit finish stage 2 victory.
And while he was 4th on the stage on Thursday, his TT effort yesterday let him down.
The 20.3km test featured some small ramps but was mostly flat. Neither the discipline, of racing against the clock, nor the terrain were going to suit Martin.
In the end he finishing 46th and lost 2:02 to race leader and stage winner Geraint Thomas (Team Sky).
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Dan Martin looking like he knows his TT hasn't gone well. Team Sky on the front today defending the yellow jersey of Geraint Thomas.
As a result, Dan Martin slid from 4th, and equal on time with Thomas, to 16th at 2:03.
And with the race leader’s team looking so strong, it will take a huge ride by anyone in the field to take this overall win away from Geraint Thomas or second-placed Sky man Michal Kwiatkowski .
Martin, now riding for UAE Team Emirates, is always capable to dropping the best in the world climbing.
But tomorrow’s relatively short finishing ascent looks more likely to offer him a stage win opportunity than any chance to rocket up the general standings.
Today’s stage 4 took the riders 199.2km from Almodôvar to Tavira. It ended in a bunch sprint, won by Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo).
He claimed his third win of the season from Matteo Pelucchi (BORA – hansgrohe).
John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) rounded out the podium after his sprint was interrupted by hitting a pothole.
Ireland’s Ryan Mullen, who punctured in the TT stage, was part of his lead-out. In the end Mullen would finish in 125th and Dan Martin 101st.
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