"I would take the Vuelta a Espana out" - Daniel Martínez wants full focus on either Giro or Tour in 2025

Daniel Martinez has completed a somewhat irregular season in his debut with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, where he struggled late in the year but had a tremendous Giro d'Italia where he finished second in the overall classification, only behind an unbeatable Tadej Pogacar.

Speaking to AS Colombia, the Soacha native acknowledged that perhaps the second part of the season had not gone well for him and that is something he intends to improve in the run-up to 2025: "The main goal was the Giro d'Italia, we accomplished it, I failed a bit in the second half, but there we keep working to improve."

2024 began by winning the Colombian Nationals against the clock before winning a couple of stages and finishing second in the Volta ao Algarve. He went through Strade Bianche and Tirreno Adriatico without glory before signing a very solid Giro in which he "enjoyed" in first person the exhibitions of Tadej Pogacar. He came close to victory in several stages, but with the Slovenian on his tail, he could do nothing more than take that magnificent second place.

He then raced the Vuelta a España without much luck, and has been clear that he does not intent to return to the Spanish Grand Tour next year: "I don't know yet, the team doesn't know what to do, in December we'll see how we do it. I would go wherever the team puts me, although I would take the Vuelta a España out, I would focus more on the Giro and the Tour."

We'll see what BORA decides to do. It is clear that the first leader is Primoz Roglic and the big race that Martinez will ride leading will depend on what the Slovenian decides in a campaign in which it seems that Pogacar will decide for Tour-Vuelta double.