"I will go into the race fighting for the GC" - Lenny Martinez out to test himself against Pogacar, Vingegaard & Evenepoel at the Criterium du Dauphine

There are few bigger hopes for the future of French cycling than Lenny Martinez. Just 21 years old, the Bahrain - Victorious star already has 8 pro wins on his palmares including a stage of Paris-Nice this year, and has worn the Red Jersey at the Vuelta a Espana. At the Criterium du Dauphine in 2025, Martinez now gets to test himself against the leading Grand Tour riders of the modern era.

“This is a great race in the preparation for the Tour and I will go into the race fighting for the GC," Martinez previews in a press release on the Bahrain - Victorious team's official website, ready to challenge the likes of Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel among others for the win at the Dauphine.

"The team will also be looking for a stage. I’ve got a great team around me, and that gives me confidence," continues the diminutive Frenchman, who will be supported by the likes of Jack Haig, Santiago Buitrago, Torstein Traeen, Fred Wright, Kamil Gradek and Robert Stannard. "I did this race previously and I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to coming back and testing myself.”

“We are really looking forward to this test ahead of the Tour de France," adds Bahrain - Victorious sports director Roman Kreuziger. "I was at altitude camp with some of the riders and they are in great shape. We’ve got really good support around Lenny. Lenny has already done a great job in Romandie, finishing on the podium in GC. For Dauphiné, we are looking for a top ten. The contenders are really strong, but we know Lenny is capable."

"We expect reduced sprints on the first three stages, and then we have a nice ITT on Stage 4 with a climb, and it’s good to see where we are before the Tour with the contenders," Kreuziger concludes. "Stage 5 will give another chance for the sprinters before the three hilly days from Friday to Sunday. It’s going to be a really big test for the guys, but we are confident that we can fight against the best.”

Lenny Martinez
Jack Haig
Santiago Buitrago
Torstein Traeen
Fred Wright
Kamil Gradek
Robert Stannard