Motivation ramped up by returning to the race as defending champion, Dan Martin (Garmin-Cervélo) will today line out in the opening stage of the Tour of Poland feeling content with his condition. He has worked well since taking a very close second in the Irish road race championships at the end of June, building his shape.
“I feel really good, actually,” he told VeloNation this week. “All my training has gone to plan. The Brixia Tour went well last week. I just used the race as training…I tried to make a result on a couple of the days, but I just mainly stayed safe, stayed out of trouble, kept healthy and just used the race as a good workout and to get some racing back in the legs before Poland.”
Martin was tenth on stage 2a in the Brixia Tour but didn’t dig in too deep. The aim was very much to be ready for this week’s clash. It’s been on his mind for some time, and he’s feeling upbeat.
“Obviously as soon as I found out that the race was on my programme, defending my title was an objective,” he said. “I am really excited to get the number one (dossard) – not many guys get the chance to wear number one as defending champion, especially in a ProTour race. It is a race that I love, I really enjoyed it last year…there’s fantastic fans, a great course and the organisation is just fantastic. I am really excited to go back.”
The 24 year old is a climbing specialist, grabbing the jersey last year when he soloed to victory on stage five to Ustron. The course changes year by year; he’s broadly positive about the look of this year’s route, although he’d prefer if the emphasis on endurance had remained. “They have taken out a lot of the long sprinter stages. I actually like those…I like the six hours in the saddle,” he explained. “The accumulative fatigue suits me, I think, once we get to the mountain stages.
“It has become much more of a circuit-based tour. That is great for the fans. It’s great for the aggressive racing as well, so it should make it really difficult.”
Martin will once again plan to make his move on the uphill sections. He said there’s been a change to their pattern, but feels that the layout should be fine for him.
“It is hard to tell from the profile, but supposedly the mountain stages are a lot harder this year,” he said. “There’s a lot more accumulative climbing over the day rather than being one hard finish. The profile is almost a mini Liège-Bastogne-Liège-type course. There are a couple of days like that, which are definitely going to be decisive. Obviously there is quite a strong field going this year as well, a lot of strong riders.
“I think it might be a bit of a different race this year, a tough proposition to defend as obviously all the eyes are on me know. But I’m definitely in good condition to have a go at it.”
Good lineup for race, but he’s not worried by rivals:
The final startlist features a range of big names, with Giro d’Italia podium finishers Michele Scarponi (Lampre ISD) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) two of the big challengers.
Previous race winner Alessandro Ballan and his BMC Racing team-mate Mauro Santambrogio will be there, as well as Liquigas’ Peter Sagan, Katusha’s Filippo Pozzato, Luca Paolini and Danilo di Luca, Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Kanstantsin Sivtsov (HTC Highroad) and recent Tour of Austria winner Frederik Kessaikoff.
Martin didn’t seem too worried by who else might be there, though; he knows he is in good shape, so that’s the most important thing. “I haven’t seen the official start list yet. I will see what happens when I get there,” he said. “It also depends on what form guys are in. It is okay seeing names on the start list, but it is a question \about whether they are in form or just building up to other objectives. Even coming off the Tour – those coming off the Tour will be pretty tired now. But I will just look after myself and I know I’m in pretty good condition.”
The goal in the days ahead is of course to try to win the race again. However he’s got another big objective ahead; this far in his career, he hasn’t quite clicked in the Grand Tours. He’s had some good individual stages, but now, heading towards his 25th birthday, the time is ripe to fight for high overall finishes.
Fortunately he doesn’t feel that being in strong shape for the Tour of Poland will cause any issues in relation to his preparation for the Vuelta.
“In past years, I tend to hold form pretty well once I get up there,” he explained. “It doesn’t seem to fluctuate much. I will just focus on doing what I normally do and just training hard.
“I seem to have go to a good level now, and I am sure it is going to hold now right the way through the Vuelta. We will just see how it goes in Spain. I just need to stay lucky, stay safe and give it the best shot in the Vuelta. But I’ll concentrate on Poland first, taking one race at a time, then refocus afterwards and see where I am at.”