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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
MARTIN THIRD OVERALL HEADING INTO PENULTIMATE DAY OF VOLTA A CATALUNYA
By Shane Stokes
24 Mar 2012,
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Irish rider Dan Martin is today racing to retain or improve on his third place overall in the Volta a Catalunya in Spain.
The Garmin Barracuda professional finished in the front group on yesterday’s stage, placing ninth in a sprint to the line won by Frenchman Julien Simon (Saur Sojasun).
Martin’s sprinting abilities meant that he had been tipped for the win or a high placing, but he was obstructed inside the final 300 metres and had to break.
The day was nevertheless a good one for him, as he moved from fourth to third overall when the Swiss rider Steve Morabito (BMC Racing Team) was dropped on the last climb prior to the descent down to the finish in Manresa.
Another Irish rider Nicolas Roche withdrew from the race. The Ag2r La Mondiale rider recently had a bout of illness and has clearly been below part his week.
Swiss rider Michael Albasini (GreenEdge) continues to lead overall, holding a one minute 32 second advantage over a host of race favourites.
Martin is in this group and with the general classification order for those determined by their finishing positions, must sprint if today’s stage comes down to a similar type of group finish.
The penultimate leg runs 169.4 kilometres from Sant Fruitós del Bages to Badalona.
Martin placed second overall in 2009 and again last year, and so is aiming for the third podium finish of his career.
He had targeted overall victory but that goal became very difficult when the race’s toughest stage was shortened due to snow. This cut out a key summit finish which would have enabled Martin and the others to attack Albasini.
Volta a Catalunya stage 5: Ascó to Manresa:
1, Julien Simon (Saur Sojasun)
2, Rigoberto Uran (Sky Procycling)
3, Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas Cannondale)
4, Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel Euskadi)
5, Dario Cataldo (Quick Step)
6, Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto Belisol)
Irish:
9, Dan Martin (Garmin Barracuda) same time
DNF: Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale)
General classification:
1, Michael Albasini (GreenEdge)
2, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol) at 1 min 32 seconds
3, Dan Martin (Garmin Barracuda)
4, Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel Euskadi)
5, Rigoberto Uran (Sky Procycling) all same time
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