Did Tony Martin screw himself?

[pedromiguelmartins]

Remember how great he was?

Then, remember how instead of wanting to become a classics rider, he tried to become a GT rider?
Then, remember how when he realize that he was destroying his talents, he desperately tried to become a classics rider, and is now a shell of his former self?

If it wasn't all that "only the tour matters" mentality of (especially) German and British riders, guys like Martin could've been much stronger cyclists.

Now the best TTer of the past 15 years (besides Cancellara) can't even win a TT, or a classic, or a breakaway, or set up a sprint... at 29 yo.

 

[Velolover2]

His injury in last year's Tour may have affected him.

 

[Bushman]

He never really showed anything promising in the classics. IMO he showed more promise as a climber/stage racer at least. He had some good displays in medium mountains when he was younger and not quite as heavy as he is today.

 

[WillemS]

I don't think so.

It seems fans want supercyclists who win in their discipline every time they have a go at it. Turns out they're just humans who do very well in a certain discipline but lose every now and then as well.

 

[vedrafjord]

Then, remember how instead of wanting to become a classics rider, he tried to become a GT rider?

I honestly don't remember this at all - have you got a quote for it? He's pretty much been an out and out time trial specialist for the last 4-5 years. He never talked about losing weight to climb better or anything like that.

 

[yaco]

Martin goes OK - Will take 3 years to see if he can become a top class cobbles rider - Still in the best 5 TT's and can always win a stage at a GC - Nothing to cry about.

 

[PeterB]

Let's see what Bavarianrider thinks about this. As far as I can tell, I think he may be saving his best form for later this year - for the Worlds and Olympics. So I would not panic just yet.

 

[classicomano]

Its probably a bit harsh calling Tony Martin a one trick pony but being a TT powerhouse was his main M.O. and seeing how time trials are really really really boring I can understand why he'd wanna put his focus somewhere else. And he seemed to roll over the cobbles well enough these last few races so good luck to him.

 

[Nick C.]

Didn't Tony Martin stop riding for GC in the Tour after the first mountain stage sometime around 2010? All I remember in the Tours was him being the engine behind Cav's leadout for HTC in the final 5K. I know he won a flattish Paris Nice that had a TT, other than that I am confused by the timeline of the OP, as he was done trying GC before he started to win the Worlds TTs. The classics is a now two month old effort.

 

[jmdirt]

This is another one of those post were if a rider doesn't win every race, he's washed/screwed up, but if he wins every race we discuss him in the clinic.

 

[Gigs_98]

The problem of strong TTers is that its hard to remember these races. If Martin wins a ITT in the tdf we will see it in the stage result at the end of the race, but usually most fans mostly care about the gc and we often don't even see the best TT riders because they start earlier. Cancellara still managed to become extremely famous by winning many one day races and Martin won many one week stage races, even very important ones like Paris Nice or Eneco and his stage wins in the last two tours became very famous as well, since they were won in a very impressive way.

However I think Martin might have problems in the next years to stay successful. His TT's aren't as good as they used to be, I don't think he has any chance to become a good rider for cobbles classics and though his tdf stage wins were impressive they will be hard to repeat since his climbing will probably worsen if he wants to concentrate more on classics and he wont get the chance to win a cobbles stage often again.

 

[jaylew]

Your poll won't work until you fix it:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=29847

 

[StryderHells]

Now the best TTer of the past 15 years (besides Cancellara) can't even win a TT, or a classic, or a breakaway, or set up a sprint... at 29 yo.

He won 3 TT's last season and was on the podium in a couple of others, won a Tour stage last season and then had that accident which really set him back but still managed to win the overall at the Tour du Poitou Charentes. Considering the injury he had a good season and has changed tack this season doing something that would take a more than a couple of races to adapt too, so outside of stirring the pot what are you basing the assumption that he's not riding well anymore?
Also he's 30 not 29

 

[rehy90]

Let's wait and see how he goes in Roubaix...its a different classic to anything else, and with its flat profile it could really suit him. I believe he could surprise everyone with an attack from a long way out, he could win the O'Grady style. If favourites are watching each other, he could get a gap and then it will be hard to reel him back. Also they could underestimate him because of his lack of form in recent races. Dark horse for me

 

[GP Blanco]

Re:

Let's wait and see how he goes in Roubaix...its a different classic to anything else, and with its flat profile it could really suit him. I believe he could surprise everyone with an attack from a long way out, he could win the O'Grady style. If favourites are watching each other, he could get a gap and then it will be hard to reel him back. Also they could underestimate him because of his lack of form in recent races. Dark horse for me

Isn't he too light for the pavee? I always saw him as more of a medium mountain rider next to his TT abilities.

 

[rehy90]

Re: Re:

Let's wait and see how he goes in Roubaix...its a different classic to anything else, and with its flat profile it could really suit him. I believe he could surprise everyone with an attack from a long way out, he could win the O'Grady style. If favourites are watching each other, he could get a gap and then it will be hard to reel him back. Also they could underestimate him because of his lack of form in recent races. Dark horse for me

Isn't he too light for the pavee? I always saw him as more of a medium mountain rider next to his TT abilities.

He is around 75 kg, which i think is enough to be successful in Roubaix. Plus hes got a big engine, which he proved in TTs and his breakaway wins. Normally i wouldnt bet on him, but this year he could be really underestimated by others given his lack of results. I can see him trying something from like 60 km out and put the pressure on other teams.

 

[Nirvana]

A couple of years ago he was very strong in mountain stages at the Tour, i remember when in two back to back stages he won after a break and then helped Kwiatkowski to gain time for the GC taking him into the break in the successive stage. After that display i thought he could be able at least for a top 10 in the GC.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

We still haven't had a long ITT this year and yet you judge him out. Your suspicion is wrong and so is your idea that he tried to target too many goals.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Then, remember how instead of wanting to become a classics rider, he tried to become a GT rider?

I honestly don't remember this at all - have you got a quote for it? He's pretty much been an out and out time trial specialist for the last 4-5 years. He never talked about losing weight to climb better or anything like that.

RA:...We asked “what do you want to do?”

Because from the pure power he has, he probably could win Paris-Roubaix, but he just has no interest in that. He wants to become a GC rider. He really wants to ride for GC in stage races. It just makes no sense to send you to Harelbeke or De Panne, so we build you slowly for the Tour.

He didn’t have to confirm his form for the Tour. It’s his first Tour, we don’t really expectations, if he doesn’t finish in the top 10 now, we’re disappointed, or if doesn’t win the white jersey, we’re disappointed. If he cracks tomorrow, it’s fine. It’s his first Tour, then we come back and try to do better. There’s nothing to lose for him. He’s won so much; it’s already a good Tour for him, no matter what happens.

VN: So the white jersey is right there for the taking?

RA: The plan was to come here and try to win the white jersey. That’s the logical step.

 

[May0maniac]

Then, remember how instead of wanting to become a classics rider, he tried to become a GT rider?

I honestly don't remember this at all - have you got a quote for it? He's pretty much been an out and out time trial specialist for the last 4-5 years. He never talked about losing weight to climb better or anything like that.

He was still a great ITT riders when he said that wanted to get some results in TT-heavy one week races, like the 2014 TdS, so that wasn't a big problem.
I don't think that he'll ever be a Roubaix rider, he never was a great bike handler, a huge engine alone isn't enough. We still have to see him in a longer ITT this yea, but maybe he's already past his prime, he wouldn't be the first German TT specialist who's decline starts at an early age.

 

[Red Rick]

Flat cobbles on Roubaix are pretty high intensity efforts as well.

 

[del1962]

Problem for Tony is there see, less and less ITT in stage races, so he has to try and get results elsewhere I guess

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Then, remember how instead of wanting to become a classics rider, he tried to become a GT rider?

he wouldn't be the first German TT specialist who's decline starts at an early age.

That doesnt sound very scientific. The average age of a PR winner is something like 28ish so its not impossible but with the current level of competition its impossible. I have a feeling Tony is overhyped because he came from a weird lull in cycling where Boonen appeared super human and AC is a literal god because he can beat Cadel Evans and Andy Schleck 9 out of 10 times. When Froome and AC are done using the PCN official time machine to determine which is best at peak form we should see if michael rodgers and bradley wigans really compare to rohan dennis and tom dumoulan.

For me Tony's greatest skill was the ability to control a flat race and leave the leadout train mostly rested. Its like having another Pro squad interested in helping control the race but its just one guy.

 

[jmdirt]

Re:

Let's wait and see how he goes in Roubaix...its a different classic to anything else, and with its flat profile it could really suit him. I believe he could surprise everyone with an attack from a long way out, he could win the O'Grady style. If favourites are watching each other, he could get a gap and then it will be hard to reel him back. Also they could underestimate him because of his lack of form in recent races. Dark horse for me

I can certainly see his team sending him with 50 k to go because they have several "top bets" in the race. The others can pull EtixxxQS riders or let TM go. Its a good card for them.

 

[Cannibal72]

Then, remember how instead of wanting to become a classics rider, he tried to become a GT rider?

I honestly don't remember this at all - have you got a quote for it? He's pretty much been an out and out time trial specialist for the last 4-5 years. He never talked about losing weight to climb better or anything like that.

RA:...We asked “what do you want to do?”

Because from the pure power he has, he probably could win Paris-Roubaix, but he just has no interest in that. He wants to become a GC rider. He really wants to ride for GC in stage races. It just makes no sense to send you to Harelbeke or De Panne, so we build you slowly for the Tour.

He didn’t have to confirm his form for the Tour. It’s his first Tour, we don’t really expectations, if he doesn’t finish in the top 10 now, we’re disappointed, or if doesn’t win the white jersey, we’re disappointed. If he cracks tomorrow, it’s fine. It’s his first Tour, then we come back and try to do better. There’s nothing to lose for him. He’s won so much; it’s already a good Tour for him, no matter what happens.

VN: So the white jersey is right there for the taking?

RA: The plan was to come here and try to win the white jersey. That’s the logical step.

While the interview is in the context of the Tour, 'stage races' rather implies one-week races, where he has been rather successful. I'm unconvinced he ever really tried to be a GT contender. I do think he's wasting himself on the cobbles, though, and that he'd make a decent medium-mountain rider, but I'm not sure there's enough races for them anymore.

(In answer to the thread's question; no, it's anatomically impossible. I think.)