"It's nice to finish on a good note" - Lenny Martinez concluded his grand tour debut with a strong breakaway showing

Author of a magnificent first week, including wearing the red jersey for two days, Lenny Martinez subsequently disappeared, diminished by an illness which prevented him from racing at his best level.

"The feelings have returned and it's nice to finish on a good note, giving everything in the breakaway and emptying the tank all the way to the line. I tried and gave everything to get the victory, but we will come back," explained the French climber on the Groupama-FDJ website.

"Lenny fought well in front, he had good legs. He didn't miss much to switch with the five, but it really came down to his leg. The only big regret today is Romain who misses the breakaway by just a fraction. With Lenny and him in front, it would have been more playable and the course suited him," concluded the sports director Benoît Vaugrenard.

The 20-year-old Martinez will now try to catch his breath and gather as much strength as possible before his final stance in 2023 at Italian autumn classics, topped off by his Monument debut at Il Lombardia.