Questions have been raised about how high Tony Martin can finish in next year’s Tour de France. With the inclusion of a prologue, two fairly long individual time trials and less mountain top finishes, it could work in favour of the world time trial champion.
Martin has been hailed as a future Grand Tour contender but has only proven his GC worth in week-long stage races thus far. This year he won Volta ao Algarve, Paris-Nice and the Tour of Beijing. His best overall finish in the Tour de France was 36th in 2009.
However, Martin has played down his chances, saying a big focus will be on the Olympic Games that takes place a week after the Tour.
"A fairly long prologue and two long time trials are perfectly suited to me. I will have a lot of motivation." Sporza reported him as saying.
"Anyway, I will ride the Tour without any pressure next year. My big goal in 2012 is to win the gold medal in the time trial at the Olympics. But I will not deliberately lose time in the Tour."
Martin has been dominant in the race against the clock this year, winning nine time trials, including ones in the Tour, Vuelta a España and world championships. He dethroned Fabian Cancellara in several events including, crucially, the TT worlds.
The German will race in new colours next season as he joins the bulked up Omega Pharma-Quick Step squad. Other riders who have signed for the team include his current teammates Peter and Martin Velits, Matt Brammeier, Bert Grabsch and Frantisek Rabon.
Levi Leipheimer has also confirmed a move from Team RadioShack and is likely to be team leader with Peter Velits heading into the Tour.