"I didn't want to leave empty-handed” – Lenny Martinez delivers on Bastille Day

Lenny Martinez delivered a standout ride on Bastille Day, claiming the polka dot jersey after Stage 10 of the 2025 Tour de France. The French climber broke away early with ambitions of both a stage win and mountain points, but quickly shifted focus once the pace proved too high.

“When I broke away, I was thinking about both the stage and the polka dot jersey. But I quickly realised that I would come short to fight for the stage, the others were just too strong,” Martinez told the Tour de France website. “I didn't want to leave empty-handed, so I focused on the sprints on the climbs to collect points.”

The jersey carries extra weight for the 22-year-old, his grandfather Mariano Martínez wore it in 1978.

“Of course, it feels strange to wear the polka dot jersey that my grandfather won so long ago. I'm sure he must be proud of me.”

Martinez finished the stage alongside Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, an unexpected final group that added a symbolic finish to a strong day.

“In the final I rode with Pogacar and Vingegaard, but that was just because I wanted to finish in the top 10. It's a bit anecdotal, but after such a great day I didn't want to finish 20th, for example.”

Now leading the mountains classification, Martinez has set his sights on keeping the jersey deep into the Tour, possibly even to Paris. But he knows who he’s up against.

“I'm going to try to keep it as long as possible, maybe even until Paris, but with Tadej Pogacar it's going to be difficult.”