Ahead of his winter transfer to Bahrain Victorious this winter, Lenny Martinez has outlined a future purpose of profitable the Tour de France.
The extremely rated 21-year-old has already claimed six one-day race victories together with the CIC-Mont Ventoux and Trofeo Laigueglia throughout his first two years as knowledgeable. He’s now set to maneuver on from Groupama-FDJ to Bahrain, the place he is anticipated to proceed his growth right into a high climber and Grand Tour contender.
Martinez, who has already raced each the Vuelta a España and Tour de France, advised Le Monde that the Tour is his final profession purpose.
“I’m going to do loads of preparation this winter, on and off the bike, to attain my objectives,” he stated earlier than including, “I need to win the Tour.
“To beat Tadej Pogačar, you need to put all the probabilities in your aspect,” he added, referring to his crew swap.
Martinez’s transfer to Bahrain got here after an extended interval of rumours linking him with a transfer away from French squad Groupama-FDJ. His signing with Bahrain on a three-year deal was confirmed shortly after biking’s switch window opened initially of August.
Despite that, Martinez stated that he “would have preferred” to remain on longer with Groupama, saying he had hoped his transfer away from the squad would have “come later”.
He did, nevertheless, say how “grateful” he was to the French crew – “an unforgettable household” for his or her key function in growing him so far whereas restating that he “at all times stated he needed to go overseas.”
Martinez additionally stated that he had a alternative of a number of totally different groups for 2025 and past. He’ll reportedly earn €800,000 per 12 months in the course of the course of his Bahrain contract.
“There are loads of expectations round me,” he stated. “Many groups, each international and French, got here to method me, which is sort of uncommon on this planet of biking.”
In the interview, Martinez additionally mirrored on his 2024 marketing campaign, which noticed him take wins at Laigueglia, the Classic Var, Classic Grand Besançon, Tour du Doubs and the Classic Alpes-Maritimes in the course of the first half of the season.
He additionally completed second at O Gran Camiño and completed within the high 10 at Strade Bianche, although his second half of the 12 months introduced much less success. He began the Tour de France having earlier been mooted to tackle the Vuelta for a second time. In France, he completed 124th, with an Eleventh-place end within the closing time trial his greatest consequence.
“It was lower in two, with good and dangerous,” he stated of his season. “Everything was going badly. My legs had been not handing over coaching.
“I needed to participate in my first Tour de France with a French crew. I’ve gained expertise for the long run,” he concluded, placing a constructive spin on his first outing on the race he someday hopes to win.