Following two day where he was involved in breakaways for practically the entire stage, Garmin Transitions rider Dan Martin has decided not to take the start today in the Tour of Britain. The Irishman told VeloNation this morning that he had opted to head to London for a consultation with a specialist about long-running allergies he has been experiencing.
“I’ve decided to stop the race early,” he said. “We got word yesterday that an opportunity had come up to see a specialist in London – he’s very hard to get an appointment with and we’d like to get this finally sorted,” he said. “It’s a pity to stop the race but I’ve ridden very hard in the last two days and given it a good go.”
Martin has spoken for several months about the effects of the problem on his system. He experienced it in the run up to the Giro d’Italia and in the Grand Tour itself, being unable to go deep. “It’s some kind of allergy,” he said. “It stops me being able to get my heart-rate up, and so I can’t perform at my best.”
The symptoms abated in the summer and the 24 year old had a excellent spell of form. He won a stage plus the overall classification in the Tour of Poland, grabbed a solo win in the Tre Valli Varesini and went close to taking the GP Ouest France in Plouay.
He then took a break from racing to recharge his batteries prior to a big push for the Tour of Lombardy, his major end of season goal.
His performances in the Tour of Britain have been encouraging, given that he is coming off that break. He missed the crucial move on day two, but went on the attack on days four and five. He went clear after the start of both stages, soloing clear from the day's break in the finale, but was hauled back before the finish.
He impressed many with his form and determination, and will continue racing in the weeks ahead. “I’ll see the specialist, try to get this sorted out, and then ride the Italian single-day events before Lombardy,” he told VeloNation.
Martin had the opportunity to ride the world road race championships but didn’t believe the course was selective enough to justify the trip. He said that he preferred to stay in Europe and continue building his condition. He was eighth last year in his first Giro di Lombardia.