Daniel Martínez, Colombian cyclist of the Ineos team, arrives at this Tour de France with clear options to go for the podium, because his season has been exceptional.
Martinez, in dialogue with THE TIME, He told several secrets that he has kept in order to fulfill his objective.
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He revealed how long he should arrive on Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic, the favorites to the title, to the time trial of 40 kilometers one day before the end of the competition.
What plan do you have for the pavé stage?
“Having a good time this day will be the ultimate goal. We know it won’t be easy, that the day becomes complicated because of everything. We have brought a compact team to the Tour de France, a very good group for that final day. We have cyclists who know how to ride in these sectors and I trust them. In any case, you have to have talent to overcome those fractions with this type of road, which demands much more than normal from cyclists.”
That Alpe d’Huez is not at the end counts?
“Once we analyzed the route of the competition with the group, we were able to conclude that it doesn’t change things much. And it doesn’t change them because in the last week the Pyrenees appear on the track and there are also very difficult steps and days there, high mountain, so the day of Alpe d’Huez is not that it goes into the background, but it is not going to change much from what I say, in terms of the fight for the general this time”.
How will the leadership in Ineos be decided?
“As I said, we came with a very strong team to the Tour fight. Adam Yates and Geraint Thomas are very strong running backs, who also have the conditions to lead the squad. The idea is to draw up a strategy that allows us to go for the goal, with the group. Something has been thought of and as the race unfolds, well, we are looking at what happens with the days and how we should behave to get the most out of it”.
Is the team the weak side of Pogacar?
“There is no doubt that, at the moment, Tadej Pogacar is very strong, he has already shown it, not only winning the two previous editions of the race, but throughout the year. We saw him on Friday in the time trial, he took advantage, minimal but he took it out. You have to devise good strategies to make him lose time. We have already analyzed what can happen and we will look at the ideal moment to do the task and try to find the goal.”
What do you analyze about the final time trial?
“If we see the level that exists in this Tour de France, then we must do everything possible to arrive with a sufficient advantage not to suffer, to aspire to something. The level in the specialist men is very high, we have already seen it. Arriving with a good mattress would be ideal, quite good to go fresh. I calculate that in order to calm down Primoz Roglic and Pogacar we have to get them three minutes before that time trial which will be key.
Do you see yourself on the podium, in the ‘top’ 5?
“You come to the Tour de France and you don’t know what’s going to happen. Whenever you face such a big challenge, so important, there are illusions, but saying this is not the best thing. You have to take into account many actions, deal with concepts of the race and outside of them to be able to reach the last day. I would say that giving my best is the feeling I have at the moment. From there, the final result in the competition is clear.”
Lisandro Rengifo
Editor of THE TIME
@lisandroabel
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