World time trial champion wants yellow in Liège prologue and good GC finish; has finalised spring programme
New Omega Pharma-Quick Step signing Tony Martin has finalised his programme for the coming spring, according to biciciclismo.com, with a view to peaking his form in the summer time. 2012 promises to be a big year for many riders, with the London Olympic Games on the horizon, and, as World time trial champion, Martin will be one of the big favourites for the gold medal against the clock.
It’s the earlier Tour de France though, where the German – whom his former HTC-Highroad teammates used to call Der Panzerwagen – is really looking to focus this year.
"I always try to improve,” he said. “Next year is the London Olympics,” which is a very important goal for me; I'd like to win gold in the time trial, but know it will be difficult,”
Having won the Eneco Tour of Benelux in 2010, and the Volta ao Algarve, Paris-Nice and the Tour of Beijing in 2011, Martin is an accomplished rider in the shorter tours. His overall accomplishments in the Grand Tours so far have been a few days in the white, young riders’ jersey in 2009 and 2010; this he hopes to improve on and, at 26 years of age, he feels he has the time to do it.
"Next year I want to improve in the Tour,” he explained. “I don’t want to sacrifice the whole year just for London. The prologue in Liège suits me well and I want to wear yellow; and with a less mountainous edition I can try to finish well in the general classification.
“I still have a couple of years to try to improve in the Grand Tours."
Despite the new team, Martin’s 2012 spring programme will closely resemble 2011; beginning at the Challenge Mallorca races, before defending his titles at Algarve and Paris-Nice. He will once again ride the Vuelta al Pais Vasco – where he took the time trial last year – and the Tour de Romandie, and, while he is still undecided about May, will ride the Critérium du Dauphiné; where he also took a time trial victory last year, on an identical course to that used in the Tour de France six weeks later [which he also won – ed].
Following the German championships – where he will hope to take back the time trial title from teammate Bert Grabsch – he will head to the Tour de France; which is almost immediately followed by the Olympic Games.
Martin has yet to decide on the second half of his season, but fully intends to defend his time trial rainbow at the World championships in Limburg, Netherlands.