CyclingQuotes.com uses cookies for statistics and targeting ads. This information is shared with third parties.
ACCEPT COOKIES » MORE INFO »

Every day we bring you more pro-cycling news

"I lost between two and three kilos from the end of April. This is a definite advantage on the climbs. I was afraid that I would lose power but apparently I have not lost much," Martin says

Photo: Sirotti

SOUDAL - QUICK STEP

TEAM PROFILE
|
NEWS

TONY MARTIN

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

TOUR DE SUISSE

RACE PROFILE
|
NEWS
21.06.2014 @ 20:06 Posted by Emil Axelgaard

Going into the Tour de Suisse, Tony Martin said that he targeted the time trials and said nothing about his overall ambitions. Having lost 2-3kg, however, he knew that he had a chance and today he proved his strength when he stayed with his main rivals in the first mountaintop finish of the race.

 

Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Tony Martin once again held on to the yellow jersey at Tour de Suisse. This time, it was at 219.1km Stage 8 of Tour de Suisse with back-to-back ascents of 3rd Category and HC in the final kilometers.

 

Attacks began flying out of the peloton on those climbs as the breakaway of eight riders was eventually reeled in as riders dropped kilometer-by-kilometer inside 30km to go, and the gap at 4 minutes and 41 seconds.

 

After Roman Kreuziger (Tinkoff-Saxo) reeled in some attacks out of the peloton, he himself attacked and Johan Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEDGE) went with him. Eventually, it was Davide Formolo (Cannondale) with Chaves at about 2.3km to go in the race. Meanwhile, Martin showed amazing fortitude, sitting on the wheel of UCI World Road Champion Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) in the yellow jersey as they approached the Verbier finish at the front of the peloton.

 

Chaves went on to went solo, holding off Kreuziger and Bauke Mollema (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) who passed Formolo with 1.6km to go.

Martin actually extended his GC leadership to 51" on Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Shimano), and maintained a 1'05" advantage over Costa in 3rd.

OPQS looks next to a 156.5km Stage 9 on Sunday, with back-to-back climbs of 1st and HC category. The final climb (Saas-Fee) will surely feature fireworks with the GC contenders.

 

"It was a hard, fast stage," Martin said. "The final climb to Verbier didn't surprise me. I did it already in 2009 at the Tour de France. So, I understood how it was already. I knew that it was steep, but that I could handle it.

 

"I was aware of the guys I had to stay with. I tried to stay with them as best I could, and stay in control as much as I could. I think I handled it well. The condition and morale is good and I go into the last stage with a will to try and stay in the front and fight.

 

"I was surprised myself that there were so few attacks. But I think all the riders were pretty dead. We are on the eighth day, no day was easy. I think everyone is pretty tired. There's now just one stage left and it will be the hardest. If there are tactical alliances like in the last stage of the Dauphiné, it can be very hard. If we roll slowly to the bottom of the final climb, my performance today and the confidence it has given me, makes me think that I will win.

 

"I preferred to be careful  [about my chances] because I knew the pressure of being in the battle for the win. It is very difficult. But from the start in Bellinzona, I saw that I was in shape. I lost between two and three kilos from the end of April. This is a definite advantage on the climbs. I was afraid that I would lose power but apparently I have not lost much."

MORE NEWS:

VIEW SELECTED

Bycykling 101: Navigering i byens gader og cykelvenlige... 27.11.2023 @ 12:11The Best Danish Cyclist To Bet On At 2022 Tour De France 13.01.2022 @ 15:262022 Upcoming Tournament Overview 03.01.2022 @ 09:45Best Place to Find Stand-Up Paddleboards 16.06.2021 @ 08:16What are Primoz Roglic’s Chances to Win 2021 Tour de Fr... 17.03.2021 @ 08:37Amazing victory by young champion Sarah Gigante 04.02.2021 @ 14:21Three reasons why cycling is one of the best ways to ex... 28.09.2020 @ 12:03Why do businesses use meeting room managers? 14.09.2020 @ 13:42Five things that you can do, if you want to gain more f... 20.08.2020 @ 15:38One for the road 09.06.2020 @ 15:25List of CyclingQuotes previews 07.05.2020 @ 13:20Blue Energy: room for all interests 26.08.2019 @ 12:56Get your daily dose of exercise at home 08.07.2019 @ 10:443 good advice to be able to afford your favorite bike 25.02.2019 @ 12:32Cycle through gorgeous landscapes 22.10.2018 @ 21:41Balance Your Economy and Diet and Start Saving Money 08.10.2018 @ 11:18Stay Safe: 3 Helmets That Can Keep Your Head Protected... 20.07.2018 @ 07:59Planning to bet on Tour De France - Bet types and strat... 24.05.2018 @ 14:18Basics of cycling betting 25.10.2017 @ 13:10Bauer moves to ORICA-SCOTT 28.08.2017 @ 10:45End of the road for CyclingQuotes 08.01.2017 @ 16:00Rui Costa confirms Giro participation 07.01.2017 @ 12:55Van Avermaet: I am not afraid of Sagan 07.01.2017 @ 09:45Unchanged course for E3 Harelbeke 07.01.2017 @ 09:32Jenner takes surprise win at Australian U23 Championships 07.01.2017 @ 08:53No replacement for Meersman at Fortuneo-Vital Concept 06.01.2017 @ 19:14Barguil with two goals in 2017 06.01.2017 @ 19:06More details about French Vuelta start emerges 06.01.2017 @ 14:16Kristoff to start season at Etoile de Besseges 06.01.2017 @ 14:10Ion Izagirre announces schedule for first year at Bahrain 06.01.2017 @ 12:40JLT Condor optimistic for Herald Sun Tour 06.01.2017 @ 09:19Haas leads Dimension Data trio in fight for Australian... 06.01.2017 @ 09:15Sagan spearheads Bora-hansgrohe at Tour Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:12Henao and Thomas lead Sky Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:09Bauer crowned New Zealand TT champion 06.01.2017 @ 08:33Van der Poel ready to defend Dutch title 05.01.2017 @ 21:00Pantano ambitious for first Tour with Trek 05.01.2017 @ 20:41Landa with new approach to the Giro 05.01.2017 @ 20:36Sunweb Development Team sign Goos and Zepuntke 05.01.2017 @ 20:27Dumoulin confirms Giro participation 05.01.2017 @ 20:19Bauer targets victories in Quick-Step debut 05.01.2017 @ 20:16Gaviria and Boonen lead Quick-Step in San Juan 05.01.2017 @ 20:13Team Sunweb presented in Germany 05.01.2017 @ 20:09ASO take over major German WorldTour race 05.01.2017 @ 11:01Team Sunweb unveil new jersey 05.01.2017 @ 10:54Reactions from the Australian TT Championships 05.01.2017 @ 08:27Dennis defends Australian TT title 05.01.2017 @ 08:21Scotson takes back to back U23 TT titles in Australia 05.01.2017 @ 08:15Utrecht on track to host 2020 Vuelta 04.01.2017 @ 18:28Pre-season setback for Talansky 04.01.2017 @ 17:56Kristoff: It's not impossible for me to win in Rou... 04.01.2017 @ 17:49Boom close to first cyclo-cross win in LottoNL debut 04.01.2017 @ 17:40UAE Abu Dhabi make late signing of Arab rider 04.01.2017 @ 17:36UAE Abu Dhabi unveil new jersey 04.01.2017 @ 17:30BMC unveil race schedule 04.01.2017 @ 17:21

Currently no news in this list

Jose Antonio GIMENEZ DIAS
47 years | today
Sara CASASOLA
25 years | today
Nico CLAESSENS
39 years | today
Shao Yung CHIANG
40 years | today
Anthony SAUX
33 years | today

© CyclingQuotes.com