Ten meters difference between podium and peloton

Author: Dan Martin

4 May

OK. That was the hardest short race of the year! It kinda hurts not getting the results down on paper. But hell, that’s bike racing!

It was basically a sprint up the steep finish climb every lap (17 total laps!). I stayed right up front and made the split with five laps to go. I thought that would have been it as far as the top ten as there were all the so-called French heros with me. Moreau, Pineau, Voeckler, Fedrigo, Chavanel. But no one worked. So the last 45 km were spent jumping around with the climb gradually whittling down the group.

With 10 km to go, we were six and the guy who won attacked so I followed. My legs were empty for the last lap and I just rode flat out. I just lacked 10 meters at the top of the climb. Ten meters which cost me a sure top two, but there you go! I got caught right before the finish, which dented the morale a bit. Oh well.

At least I put on a show and learned a new race. Plus the form seems OK. So some hard training now before our hometown race, the Volta a Catalunya!

See you soon! Dan

Slipstream Results
1. David Le Lay 3:11′03″

19. Will Frischkorn
24. Huub Duyn
46. Dan Martin
60. Blake Caldwell
74. Steven Cozza

Filed under: Features, Home Page

3 Responses for "Ten meters difference between podium and peloton"

Andrea May 4th, 2008 at 2:59 pm 1
Great to see Cozza back!
Paul Martin May 4th, 2008 at 3:27 pm 2
Brilliant ride Dan. I followed the race on direct velo and I chewed my nails down to the quicks. The season is now coming into your “top form months”, weather’s getting warmer and there must be a few ripples of fear growing as everybody starts to get to know about you.
Adrie van Diemen May 4th, 2008 at 3:59 pm 3
Hi Dan, Perfect job done in this race. A lot of riders are not able to finish this race because it is so difficult and you make the breakaway. Stay concentrated on the training and racing and the big objective of this year, winning a professional race in your firs year pro, will have a decent change to succeed. Today you proved the be a candidate for a victory at pro level. You made your next step in your career. Adrie (from the pre Giro Team Time Trail training camp in Girona)