2013 UCI World Tour - The ten best pro-cyclists in the world

 

What follows is the fifth, in ten portraits, covering the UCI’s top ten World Tour riders, their 2013 season, and their future prospects. This article will be about Daniel Martin, the world’s sixth best professional cyclist.

 

Additional articles in the series: Richie Porte #10, Rui Costa #9, Nairo Quintana #8, Fabian Cancellara #7, Vincenzo Nibali #5, Peter Sagan #4, Alejandro Valverde #3, Chris Froome #2 & Joaquim Rodríguez #1.

 

Daniel Martin, Garmin-Sharp – #6 / 432 points – 2013

 

Daniel “Dan” Martin, was born 1986, in England. His father, Neil Martin, is a former British professional cyclist. His mother, Maria Martin, is the sister of infamous Stephen Roche, making current Saxobank rider Nicholas Roche his cousin.

 

"Being part of a cycling family, I think it was natural I developed a love for the sport. I went to watch my dad race when I was only about 10 days old," he stated to Fit Magazine.

 

"For most kids, it begins as a dream, but perhaps for myself having such a rich family tradition in the sport it made it less of a dream and more of a realistic goal," he added.

 

Considering his background Dan Martin probably knew how to pedal a bike before he learned to walk, and it is hardly a surprise that he ended up in cycling. Though what could be considered a surprise is just how good he is.

 

To Irish Independent, Dan Martin’s father Neil described it thus:

 

"Mitochondria, which is the energy factory for the body, is the single biggest genetic factor for determining great endurance athletes. More than heart size, lung size, haematocrit, whatever . . . mitochondrial DNA is only passed via the female. If you're a male, you have your mother's mitochondrial DNA, but it ends with you. Your son will not have it. So, Dan Martin has the same mitochondrial DNA as Stephen Roche, via (his mother) Stephen's sister."

 

Martin became British U18 champion in the 2004 road race. Two years after he chose to ride for Ireland:

 

"The British nationality was always a convenience. Being at school in the UK, it meant I could ride the national series races without having to travel. Deep down I was always Irish and so when I found out I could change, I spoke to Cycling Ireland and they welcomed me with open arms and I haven't looked back."

 

Three short facts:

 

He climbed the Alpe d’Huez in 68 minutes as 14-year-old.

 

He has never lived in Ireland.

 

He runs a small bike shop and tour company in Girona, and arranges tours in the off-season for all kind of cyclists (together with mountain biker David Walsh and FDJ’s Dominique Rollin).

 

Garmin

 

In 2008 Daniel Martin joined Garmin-Chipotle-H30. The team’s first reward was the overall Route du Sud title, where Martin – although not winning a stage – won comfortably ahead of French mountain goat Christope Moreau. His first win was significant, and it boded well for his future career. He proceeded to an effortless win in the Irish road race championship, and then managed a fourth overall in the Tour of Britain.

 

Ireland had sprouted a new star.

 

And Martin had plenty of time to grow in. Just 22-year-old the future was yet to be conquered.

 

"I don't think I was a late starter. I was riding a bike from the age of two, but it's true that bar a few minor competitions, I only really started racing seriously at the age of 16,” he told the Independent.

 

“I actually think it's the right time to start as it's not a career like other sports that ends early. You only reach your peak as an endurance athlete around the age of 30.”

 

In 2009 Martin’s results were more modest, but he still managed a third overall in the Tour Méditerranén, and second overall in the Volta Catalunya. He had demonstrated his resilience in longer stage races, and by the end of the season he also displayed his punchiness by collecting an eight place in the Giro de Lombardia; he finished in the company of mainstream names such as Gilbert, Sanchez, Kolobnev, Gesink and Vinokourov. Not bad for a tiny guy from the emerald isle.

 

Dan Martin experienced another decent season in 2010. Most significant was his stage win during the Tour of Poland, and subsequently the overall title. He had claimed his first UCI Pro Tour stage race.

 

"During the last three days I didn't even dare think I could win. But it's a dream which has come true and I'm very, very happy," Martin told the awaiting press.

 

A week later he would crack the code to one-day-races by winning the Tre Valli Varesine. In the finish he ditched minuscule climber Pozzovivo, and celebrated a secure solo victory. Martin ended his season with an impressive second at the Giro dell’Emilia - amongst most of the peloton’s in-form climbers – and by winning the Japan Cup.

 

2011 would prove to be his most successful season to date, and emphasized Martin’s increasing prowess in the ranks of cycling.

 

Second overall at the Volta a Catalunya (narrowly beaten by Scarponi), the Giro di Toscana title, a stage and second overall in Poland, and third during the mountainous fourth stage of the Vuelta. Then his hitherto greatest victory: the ninth stage of the Vuelta. Martin won against cycling’s elite, and perhaps for the first time manifested his talent against the very best.

 

"There are some of the best climbers in the world here, so to win this stage means a lot for me," Martin said. "I know I am good in small groups like this. It’s exciting for the future, but I prefer to think about the present. For now, I just want to enjoy this victory right now."

 

He ended the season with a very decent second place at the Giro de Lombardia (only topped by surprise winner Oliver Zaugg).

 

Dan Martin was now not just a decent stage race rider and climber, but also an able and capable puncheur.

 

2012 was characterized by numerous good results, though actual titles eluded him. Season highlights were during the Ardennes classics, where Martin picked up a sixth place in La Flèche Wallonne and a fifth in Liège - Bastogne - Liège.

 

However, Martin would soon change the dearth of titles.

 

Dan Martin’s 2013 season, and the reason as to why he is currently considered #6 in the world

 

An early season stage win at the Volta a Catalunya, and the subsequent overall title demonstrated that Martin still had what it took to win races. Additionally the victory was his biggest, usurping the 2008 Route du Sud and the 2010 Tour of Poland.

 

"Winning here in Catalunya is very special, it's my home," Martin (who has lived in the Catalan town of Girona during the last five years) told the press.

 

"This is my most special victory ever and I think I'm going stronger than ever before.”

 

Asked what his next objective will be, Martin joked: "To go out this night to celebrate it all. No seriously, it's the Ardennes Classics where I want to make the most of my good form."

 

And the ladder part proved a good plan indeed!

 

Three weeks later he placed four overall in La Flèche Wallonne, and the result served to emphasize his recent status as a classic’s favorite.

 

Few days after Dan “The Man” Martin took his big scalp yet, when he beat notorious fast-man Valverde, and super-puncheur Rodriguez, to the Liège - Bastogne - Liège finish line. As he powered away from Rodriquez, just before the last corner, he even gained ample time to celebrate; crossing the finish with his arms raised in the air.

 

"I've always dreamed about winning this race," Martin said at the post-race press conference.

 

"Confidence, maturity, experience - shock, just total shock to win this. I knew I could win a race like Liège-Bastogne-Liège some day.”

 

Remember that his prize was not a fluke, or during lucky or favorable circumstances. Martin won against the best, after a series of years where he was always there against the top contenders.

 

Martin to Fit Magazine: "I was completely stunned when I crossed the line – a feeling of disbelief. One of my teammates eloquently put it: 'We all knew you could, never imagined you would.'”

 

"It's a huge race with a list of winners that reads like a who's who of cycling and I still don't think it has sunk in. In the final kilometers I was just so focused I wasn't really thinking of anything. If I started to think about the millions of people watching on television, I might get a bit of stage fright."

 

Dan Martin’s season was far from over, and his next success would come during the Tour de France, where he for the first time enjoyed protected status as one of the team’s leaders.

 

During a stage that was initially set up for the top contenders (and where Movistar mysteriously refused to dish out damage to a Froome who had been abandoned by his team), Martin and Fuglsang succeeded in slipping away.

 

Martin taught Fuglsang a lesson or two about how to conduct during the final operations of a Grand Tour stage, and the sprint ended up being as much tortoise-and-slug as cat-and-mouse.

 

With the stage win Martin became the first Irishman since his uncle Stephen Roche (in 1992) to win a Tour stage. Chapeau!

 

Sadly he fell ill during the final week, and during the Tour’s final days he lost all hope of a GC result.

 

“It is just an unfortunate set of circumstances. I picked the worst days in the Tour to get sick,” Martin wrote in his Irishtimes diary.

 

Although not matching his early season result Martin still managed a decent conclusion to the year of 2013: fourth at “monumental” Giro di Lombardia (again attesting his classical skills) and a second overall at the Tour of Beijing.

 

2014 and the future

 

With his 2013 results Dan Martin seized the chance to step out of the shadows of his family’s heritage.

 

He may just rival (not necessarily supplant) his uncle status in Ireland, and without a doubt he has proved that he can hold his own.

 

He has not (yet at least) shown that he has got the resilience or endurance to compete with the best during the Grand Tours, but this is a thing that might come with age and maturity. His specific skillset should be tested in either the Giro or the Vuelta, where the terrain will be more to his taste.

 

He has shown that he can win the smaller stage races, and next year we might see him gunning for the Tour de Suisse or the Paris-Nice (in addition to the early season stage races).

 

He has definitely shown that he can compete in the classics, and barring injury he will be amongst the red hot Ardennes favorites, the Lombardia contenders, and a dark horse for the numerous smaller Italian one-day-races.

 

Oh yes. He has also got Garmin's full backing for the 2014 Giro.

 

Dan the Man!

 

 

Dan Martin’s Palmarès

 

2004

1st, British U18 National Road Race Championships

 

2006

2nd, Overall, Giro della Valle d'Aosta

1st, Stage 6 (ITT)

2nd, Irish National U23 Road Race Championship

 

2007

Giro della Valle d'Aosta

Points classification

1st, Stage 2

 

2008

1st, Overall, Route du Sud

1st, Irish National Road Race Championship

1st, Irish National U23 Road Race Championship

4th, Overall, Tour of Britain

8th, Overall, Correios de Portugal

10th, Overall, Volta a Portugal

 

2009

2nd, Overall, Volta a Catalunya

3rd, Overall, Tour Méditerranéen

1st, Young rider classification

8th, Giro di Lombardia

 

2010

1st, Tre Valli Varesine

1st, Overall, Tour of Poland

1st, Stage 5

1st, Japan Cup

1st, Halfords Tour Series, Criterium

1st, Halfords Tour Series, Sprints

2nd, Giro dell'Emilia

3rd, Overall, Brixia Tour

3rd, Irish National Road Race Championships

 

2011

1st, Giro di Toscana

1st, Stage 9, Vuelta a España

2nd, Overall, Tour of Poland

1st, Stage 6

2nd, Giro di Lombardia

2nd, Irish National Road Race Championships

3rd, Overall, Tour of Catalunya

3rd, Memorial Marco Pantani

 

2012

2nd, Japan Cup

4th, Overall, Tour of Beijing

1st, Mountains classification

4th, Overall, Tour of Catalunya

5th, Liège–Bastogne–Liège

6th, La Flèche Wallonne

 

2013

1st, Overall, Volta a Catalunya

1st, Stage 4

1st, Liège–Bastogne–Liège

1st, Stage 9, Tour de France

2nd, Overall, Tour of Beijing

4th, Giro di Lombardia

4th, La Flèche Wallonne

8th, Overall, Tour de Suisse