“Lenny Martinez has done things that David Gaudu has never done" - Are Groupama - FDJ backing the wrong horse for Tour de France?

With Lenny Martinez reportedly on his way out of Groupama - FDJ at the end of the season, with Bahrain - Victorious supposedly set to offer the Frenchman a bumper pay rise. What this means is that, despite being probably the biggest hope in French cycling, Martinez will leave Groupama - FDJ without ever featuring at the Tour de France.

This year once again, David Gaudu will lead the Groupama - FDJ charge at the Tour de France, with Martinez set to return to the Vuelta a Espana for the second year running. “Martinez has done things that Gaudu has never done. I think he is already stronger than him,” assesses Eurosport expert and ex-pro Nicolas Fritsch. "Lenny also has more of a Thibaut Pinot side, who won quite a few races."

Whilst Gaudu has somewhat flattered to deceive at the Criterium du Dauphine, Martinez will start his own stage later this Sunday afternoon at the Tour de Suisse. “The objective remains the same: the Top 10. Obviously, I am trying to get closer to place 1 than to place 10,” the diminutive French climber previewed of the Tour de Suisse pre-race. 

According to Fritsch however, Martinez isn't being ambitious enough with his goals. "Top 10 is the minimum. Top 5, or even podium, would be good," Fritsch, a podium finisher at the 2002 Tour de Suisse, analyses. "I think it’s his big objective for the first half of the season. It’s a great course for him, with this bumpy time on the last day and competition at his level. Remember he was 2nd at O Gran Camino, between Jonas Vingegaard and Egan Bernal.”

“Mattias Skjelmose (23 years old) and Cian Uijtdebroeks (21 years old), these are guys who are not considered extraterrestrials and who he will perhaps rival for ten years. He must compete with them,” concludes Fritsch. "You have to get used to the fact that he will never give the impression of ease. He is always laborious... but he is there every time.”