"David was very strong so he tried to help me by pushing me to my limits" - Lenny Martinez thanks David Gaudu for helping him stay in the top 10 overall

The Leysin climb delivered the promised GC action at Tour de Romandie today. While some rose glory, others had to count their losses. Among the defeated was also Groupama - FDJ, who hoped that their leader Lenny Martinez could hold the fifth place overall and maybe even give it a shot for the podium. However it was eventually his more experienced colleague David Gaudu who had the better legs on Saturday.

"We understood each other without speaking with David," Martinez says about his relation with Gaudu in a press release after the stage. "He was very strong so he tried to help me by pushing me to my limits. My sole objective was to stay in his wheel."

"It was a tiring day," he notes. "We managed well on the last pass. It was a real mountain stage. I drew on my resources today, but like everyone else I think. It was a strong man's day."

"I wanted to keep the top 5, maybe even improve it, but I'm still satisfied not to fall out of the top 10," Martinez said about the changes in general classifications, where he now sits 8th overall. "I gave everything and I have no regrets."