Tony Martin

[Jukebox]

Is he a budding gc threat? Was Suisse too flat to put much stock into that performance? What do we think?

 

[Amsterhammer]

I think the boy could be a future contender, he's got what it takes. He's got a decent tt and he can climb. I reckon he'll finish 10-15 this year, but definitely one to keep an eye on for the coming years.

 

[rick bensco]

I think Columbia has found a diamond in the ruff.

 

[Jasper]

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=1574

 

[jaylew]

I think the boy could be a future contender, he's got what it takes. He's got a decent tt and he can climb. I reckon he'll finish 10-15 this year, but definitely one to keep an eye on for the coming years.

I'll be shocked if he finishes top 15, but I guess it's possible. He's certainly in great form, but I haven't seen him climb well enough to put him in the top 20 yet. I don't think this year's Tour de Suisse was a good gauge, but he's certainly an up-and-comer.

 

[Chomsky]

With the lack of climbing in this years tour Martin is a strong candidate for a top 10 finish. If Martin does well in stage 1 and Columbia wins the TTT Martin very well could end up in the top 3 or even wearing the yellow jersey going in to stage 15. If he survives stage 15 most likely he will keep whatever position he has to to stage 18's ITT and then keep that position to stage 20's Mount Ventoux. This years tour is well suited for those who can TT and have a good TTT team. It appears especially well suited for Martin, Kloeden, Leipheimer, Armstrong, Kirchen and any other TT specialist whose team does well in stage 4.

 

[Jasper]

Come on, it's not like there's no climbing in this years Tour
Sure, it's more suited for TT specialists, but there's still a large number of cols to be climbed, most of them a lot harder than the ones Martin had to cope with in Switzerland. He's still young, and a three week grand tour with this kind of field is nothing like he's ever done before. I guess it'll be the same scenario we saw with Lövkvist in the Giro: doing a good timetrial, following the big guns in the first half of the race, but gradually cracking and eventually falling back half an hour in the final week.

But in the not so distant future, I think he could be the next Jan Ullrich.

 

[Jukebox]

But in the not so distant future, I think he could be the next Jan Ullrich.

You think he has that much talent?

 

[Chomsky]

Come on, it's not like there's no climbing in this years Tour
Sure, it's more suited for TT specialists, but there's still a large number of cols to be climbed, most of them a lot harder than the ones Martin had to cope with in Switzerland.

Yes there are lots of cols but most of the effect of these cols are mitigated by long sections of downhills at end of these mountain stages. Where mediocre climbers can catch up. Arguably this year's tour only has 5 decisive or significant stages. Stage 4, 7, 15, 18 and 20. It is a tour not suited for strong climbers but rather for strong TT's who have a good TTT team. This tour seems to be well set up for a surprise from a good ITT rider who gets a good TTT result. Whether that is Martin or whomever such a rider could very easily limit any losses in the mountains to a few minutes of time before stage 18's TT. I would argue that this years tour has a very strong likelihood of at least one unexpected rider being in contention going into stage 18. It seems to be a route designed to keep the suspense high with many contenders close going into the last TT and Ventoux rather than a route designed to see the strongest rider crush all opposition.

 

[Jasper]

You think he has that much talent?

Yes.


He can shred the field apart in the TT's, and he's showing vast improvement in his climbing as well. Ullrich was never the best climber, but in combination with his TT abilities, he could only be beaten by a select few. Their style is pretty similar as well, grinding that big gear at every occasion. Someone here said that he might 'only' have what it takes to become a Jens Voigt type of rider, but from what I've seen of him the past year and a half, I think Martin has that extra edge that could make him a future grand tour podium contender.

 

[karlboss]

Off topic, I hate when people say GC contenders are TT riders who can climb a bit, or are climbers who can TT a bit. Sometimes its true, but seriously someone like Ullrich not a climber? he was probably top 3 in the climbing stakes of almost every tour he entered.

On topic, Martin is really talented I don't think as talented as ullrich, I don't think anyone was or is. Ullrich came second in his first tour at 22, and won a year later at 23. Yes doping, but who wasn't? Off topic again.

Back on...Martin will win this year's tour, he will ride a great open stage and after the TTT will be right up there, and then will go on a long escape to take 10 minutes which the favourites can't pull back over the following mountain stages and TT. He is my value pick for betting It could happen but i doubt it, more likely I see him in his 3rd or 4th tour as a real force. This year he'll ride support and be given leeway for breakaways.

 

[Christian]

I really, really like Tony Martin and I think he will be a great GC contender in the future.
Now Germans usually get really excited about mediocre riders (Linus Gerdemann) or riders that turn out to be dopers (Stefan "Rad-Schumi" Schumacher, Patrick Sinkewicz), but this is one I think they have all rights to be excited about. But for some reason they're not.
It's probably because Martin is a humble, rather shy guy and doesn't ride for a German team (or THE German team, since there is only one left). I hope that way he'll be able to stay with his feet on the ground!

 

[Amsterhammer]

Time to bump this back up.

Martin took the white jersey today, could take the yellow tomorrow, and will very possibly take the polka dot later this week.

He could do a Rasmussen (eh, without the same eventual consequences) by aiming for the polka-dot (always been his target, I feel) and having circumstance throw the yellow his way too. The only problem is, will he be allowed to actually get away in the mountains considering how short his GC is?

Yet another fascinating sub-plot in this thrilling Tour.

 

[Anonymous]

i dont think martin is even thinking about the GC.. i think columbia showed today what they are after. stage wins, and molly coddling cav all the way to paris.. Five wins for cav and the green jersey is far more important to the team than Martin finishing top 15 in the tour..

 

[Amsterhammer]

i dont think martin is even thinking about the GC.. i think columbia showed today what they are after. stage wins, and molly coddling cav all the way to paris.. Five wins for cav and the green jersey is far more important to the team than Martin finishing top 15 in the tour..

I don't think Rasmussen was then either.

I wasn't suggesting that either Martin or Columbia had previously thought about the yellow for him. I'm sure the team would be delighted with their anticipated four or five Cav wins and bringing the Green to Paris. I"m also convinced that Martin for the polka-dot was always a serious secondary target, one which might now be harder for him to go for due to being second overall.

But I really like this kid! I think we're going to see some fireworks from him.

 

[luckyboy]

i think columbia showed today what they are after. stage wins, and molly coddling cav all the way to paris..

He'll have free reign in the mountains though surely?

 

[Anonymous]

Wait, I can't remember why this thread was not good enough to discuss Tony Martin on........obviously we needed another???

 

[Anonymous]

He'll have free reign in the mountains though surely?

he will, but i think he will be unsupported.. i think the killer for him is ventoux.. there is no doubt, that if cav is still going, and in green, or within a few points of green, columbia are going to be taking it very very easy that day and coming in right on the time limit.. I certainly cant see the likes of big george being there to risk energy drain unless hes in with a podium shot.. 12th wont get them attention, winning the flagship sprint stage and the green jersey keeps everyone happy, especially the sponsors which consider the current climate, columbia are probably the happiest in the bunch this year..

if youve got a situation where martin is maybe 12th or 13th, and cav is leading the green jersey by 10pts, george etc are going to be told to save there energy.. and if they wernt before, after todays little endorsement by cav, the sponsors are going to be asking, "can he do that again in paris please",

 

[Amsterhammer]

I honestly don't think that Hincapie would be any use as a 'helper' of Martin's once it really gets steep. I follow your thinking, but I don't think they'll 'sacrifice' a rider whom I expect to either be in the polka-dot, or be challenging for it, to 'help' Cav get over the mountains. They've got enough others for that particular task and anyway, Cav should be able to follow in the last bus, where he'll have plenty of others around him.

 

[Anonymous]

I honestly don't think that Hincapie would be any use as a 'helper' of Martin's once it really gets steep. I follow your thinking, but I don't think they'll 'sacrifice' a rider whom I expect to either be in the polka-dot, or be challenging for it, to 'help' Cav get over the mountains. They've got enough others for that particular task and anyway, Cav should be able to follow in the last bus, where he'll have plenty of others around him.

im thinking more about the rest of the team saving their energy for the lead out on the sunday

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

If Martin would turn out to be a candidate for the Top 10 or even might turn out to be the team leader I guess there would be enogh guy's who could help him in the mountains who don't exactly have to deal with Cav a lot.
Monfort,Kirchen and Rogers.

Anyway we'll see where Martin's path will lead after Andorra.
Most likely he'll stay on his initial plan.
White jersey in week one, assisting Cav and Kirchen and trying to win the long ITT.