INTERVIEW | "I was thinking for sure they will come back" - Lenny Martínez on beating Pogacar and Vingegaard; unfair Tour de France points system

Lenny Martínez has completed his first season with Bahrain - Victorious, one that was successful but also saw a few near misses. CyclingUpToDate has caught up with the young Frenchman and discussed the Tour de France's controversial KOM points system and his return; beating João Almeida at the Tour de Romandie; and being chased down by Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard at the Criterium du Dauphiné.

In December 2024 it was a whole different story for Martínez. He was in Altea with his new team, but not allowed to talk to the general media on orders of his former team, Groupama - FDJ, whom he did not leave in the best terms. This time around, in the clothes of the Bahraini team, he brought a cheerful smile and a strong French accent to the table where he discussed with us a lot of interesting topics regarding what he faced in the 2025 season, and what's to come this next year too - including his full calendar for the spring and summer.

It does not come as a surprise, Martínez confirmed his return to the Tour de France: "For me for sure I do the Tour, and the program will be the same," he said. 'Don't fix what is not broken' could be applied to what he will be doing next year, as he goes through every race that is on his schedule. "I just switched Dauphine and Suisse. It's Classic Var and Tour des Alpes Maritimes  (In February, ed.). Then Paris-Nice, Catalunya, Romandie, Flèche Wallonne, Tour de Suisse, Tour..."

This means that in Romandie, Suisse and Tour, he will have to go head-to-head with none other than Tadej Pogacar: "Yeah, but it's not a problem for me. We just try to follow more as we can".

This year was one of adaptation, where he was one of the team's many signings, and got used to a more international environment, very different from what he had in France. "Yeah, at the start it was difficult with the English, now it's okay. I'm really happy with my decision. I feel good in the team, honestly. Super good team around me and I feel I can progress in this team". 

He had strong performances early in the year, and then took his first big win at Paris-Nice, beating a few big names on stage 5's steep summit finish to La Côte-Saint-André, the day where Jonas Vingegaard infamously crashed and ended his spring. His GC credentials actually looked very strong, but the next day in the crosswinds and rain, he lost all chances of a good result.

Due to his lightweight build, it's a weak spot, but this is not something he can directly address in his training. "No, I think this will come by natural way, I think. I just try to be the best. I want to be better in the performance aspect compared to this year. Every year I want to be better and I think this will send me to some good results". The Auron, the next day, he was once again amongst the best, proving his consistency levels were improving.

At the Volta a Catalunya the next week, he finished fifth in GC, in a race with several rough stages. Then followed a strong fourth place at Flèche Wallonne, confirming he has got the talent to be up there also in the one-day races - the right ones. His form was incredible and at the Tour de Romandie he struck again, winning the Thyon 2000 summit finish after following none other than João Almeida, who won many top races throughout the year.

"It was super good. It was a super hard day also, I was a bit afraid. I almost won the GC, but I know it will be complicated with João [Almeida], because he's super good in TT and I cannot do more," he admits. His 13th spot in the final time trial also revealed strong improvement in the discipline, which can see him go toe-to-toe with his direct rivals in the future, and aid his potential Grand Tour aspirations. He lost Romandie to Almeida but finished an important second place.

Consistency is perhaps his biggest issue, but due to his still young 22 years of age, something that can certainly still be improved meaningfully. "I think I can in some days be close to a super good rider, but maybe they have more experience, I don't know. They are more consistent, like second in the Vuelta (he refers to Almeida, ed.)".

Then at the Criterium du Dauphiné, Martínez struck again, winning the final stage to the Plateau du Mont-Cenis, being the only survivor from the day's breakaway, holding back the attacks of Jonas Vingegaard from behind and the yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar who followed him. He describes those minutes of stress where he knew who was riding directly behind him.

"Yeah, I was full gas at the time. I was a bit scared, but I focused more on myself, gave the maximum and when I saw it was the last 500 meters I said 'ok for sure I will win'. Honestly, at this stage I was thinking for sure they will come back and they will win the stage, but at the end it was different," he smiled. This was perhaps the highlight of his year, but by no means the end of it.  

He certainly calls it his highlight: "Dauphiné I think, because I was almost feeling sick the day before, I was not expecting anything from this stage, and I won the stage, so it was totally surprising for me".

Then came the Tour de France, the first he raced outside Groupama. But that didn't change what the French crowd felt for him. "I think if you are in a French team, different national teams, it's the same, because it's the Tour, every team wants to perform. Ok I'm French, maybe a bit more, but I don't feel like it's normal to have pressure, it's also good pressure, it's the same everywhere I think, it's the Tour, it's normal".

He didn't achieve a meaningful stage result, but did lead the KOM competition for many days. Ultimately he finished it in third place, behind Pogacar and Vingegaard, neither of whom actually raced for the classification. The points system at the Tour certainly benefits the GC riders, something Martínez is clearly not happy about.

"I think it's not good for sure, the system of points," he says to our microphone. "But now it's like if they want to win the stage, they will win the stage. He (Pogacar, ed.) has a super good team around him, super strong guys, and they can secure the race for him, so it's complicated, but we try and maybe one day I can arrive to him".