Lenny Martinez is only 21 years old, but the Frenchman already knows how to run like an old Biscard. Engaged in a duel with Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates), Saturday May 3, in the final kilometers of the Queen of the Romandie Tour stage, the Bahrain-Victorious climber climbed the Portuguese wheel, before depositing it in the last hectometers. What to offer his second stage victory on a World Tour race this year, after that on Paris-Nice.
Above all, Lenny Martinez takes hold of the yellow jersey of leader in the general classification, on the eve of the final time trial in the streets of Geneva. “We’re going to see what it looks like. It’s going to be a good test. I’m especially happy to have won the step, more than doing a good general”however tempered the tricolor climber on arrival, at the microphone of Eurosport.
“It was very hard, the UAE rolled very hard. At the end, with my punch, I managed to beat Joao Almeida, I am very happy. We were elbow, I was a little scared”recognized the French, long taken in vice in a group of four, at the front, by Joao Almeida and Jay Vine (UAE Emirates). But Lenny Martinez jumped into the wheel of Joao Almeida, after his attack three kilometers from the arrival at the top of Thyon 2000: “I didn’t want to let a UAE go on my own.”
The continuation: a mano mano mastered master of master by the young tricolor, more often in the wheel of Joao Almeida than at the front. The Portuguese even almost let go of the Frenchman, who hung on as he was able, before surprising him a few meters before the last turn. Passed in the lead in this tight curve, Lenny Martinez crushed his pedals to pass the line in the lead, breath. A breath is also what separates them in the general classification, since French seizes yellow with three small seconds in advance.
The final victory will therefore be played on Sunday, during a final time trial of 17 kilometers in the streets of Geneva. Before this last step, Lenny Martinez has two seconds ahead of the Italian Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana), three on Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), and 32 seconds on Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates). He could become the first Frenchman winner of a Word Tour stage race since Christophe Moreau on the Critérium du Dauphiné, in 2007.
