With Jumbo-Visma lighting it up in the Krabelin climb after INEOS worked throughout the first half of the stage, Martínez saw himself a good position in the virtual lead, however until the final climb there were many twists and turns to the race situation.
However in the final climb the plan proved successful, as Martínez managed to control all attacks whilst seeing Evenepoel distances: "It was a brutally hard day. The idea was to make the race hard in the climbs so that Remco would arrive empty to the final ascent [to the Alto de Arrate]. I was two seconds away from Remco, which was very hard because he's very complete."
"There's a long way for the Tour. The team has clear goals. There are very strong riders, so I'll be at the disposal of what the team says." he concluded. After a third spot at Paris-Nice and a strong win at Itzulia, Martínez is consolidating himself as a leader for INEOS at the
Tour de France. After having finished fifth at the Giro last year he's proved to be capable of the task at hand, and with compatriot Egan Bernal unlikely to be at the start, he will be in a good position.