"Some climbing times where I'm as fast as Armstrong..." - Guillaume Martin understands that modern peloton races an incredible speeds

Racing in the 2020's is a completely different ordeal than previous decades, the focus on performance and every small detail that comes with it is incredibly high. Guillaume Martin puts it in the open quite clearly, stating that in some cases, he himself is climbing as fast as Lance Armstrong did during his Tour de France-winning years.

"It's true that when I have meetings at the library, for example, the question of doping comes up less often. The fact is, there isn't a great deal of evidence to support it either," Martin said in an interview with AFP.

"There may be suspicion, but what can it be based on? The performances themselves are undeniably impressive. But there are also many factors contributing to the professionalization of the sport that could explain them. I avoid dwelling on it too much because I'm just reasoning in a vacuum, lacking any real evidence".

Firstly the changes in aerodynamics are very dramatic over the past 20 years, with riders now even racing in skinsuits and aero bikes up the mountains of the Tour de France, whilst two decades ago it was barely a factor in the minds of the climbers. Secondly nutrition has been turned upside down over the past few years, and training methods become more and more evolved, as well as specific to the efforts the riders have in race.

"I myself see some climbing times where I'm as fast as Armstrong," Martin, a rider who finished at the Top10 of the Tour twice, admits. "This clearly demonstrates that by being more professional and mastering all aspects of performance, one can still reach a high level".

"Of course, there's a world of difference between me and those who dominate the Tour. But I can't allow myself to judge or accuse. I also don't want to come across as bitter. A rider in the National 1 division, the highest amateur level, trains just like me, and yet there's a world of difference between my level and his. I don't want him accusing me of doping simply because I'm stronger. Perhaps the riders at the front are naturally stronger. Throughout the history of sport, there have been some who were a class above the rest. We have to accept that".

Martin is a rider well known for his aggressive racing style, and being a pure climber with a very popular approach to racing. But he understands that if he wants to keep achieving results and maintain his position near the top of the sport, he has to take all aspects of the sport seriously and he cannot afford to leave any stone unturned.

"Sometimes I want to distance myself from this extremely scientific approach to performance management and focus more on enjoyment than control," he admits, citing the extremely high demand. "At the same time, I find it interesting. It's still a way to learn more about your body, all the tools at our disposal, and all the competent people around us. Here every evening we have meetings about equipment, nutrition, etc., and I learn something new every night. It nourishes me intellectually".

He has been able to do this thus far, and in 2025 he took back-to-back victories at the Classic Grand Besançon and Tour du Jura, was 10th at the highly-contested Criterium du Dauphiné, but at the Tour de France he wasn't able to achieve a meaningful result. "The goal remains the same: to cross the finish line first. But beyond that, the change is impressive".

"There are a huge number of tests of all kinds on equipment and the body, which means that performance is increasingly governed by science and that we make fewer and fewer mistakes. As a result, each rider manages to get the most out of their physiology. And so the overall level of the peloton is much higher. With riders also entering the professional world at increasingly younger ages. Which inevitably raises some issues".

But Martin launches a dire warning to the youth, which is something that is more and more common in the current peloton. The demand that it takes to be at a high level can only be kept for many years for a very select few, and if they do not have balance early in their career when trying to achieve their best level, it can end very quickly.

"Young riders can compare themselves to each other, and for those who have different trajectories or don't manage to perform well right away, it can be difficult to cope with," he says. "There's also the fact that it inevitably leads them to drop out of school earlier. Being confronted with so much pressure at such a young age can lead to psychological risks. Despite this, all the teams are focusing on this niche to stay competitive. So what if there are some duds?"

Regarding the dangers in the sport, the 32-year old doesn't believe enough is being done, and that it is quite more dangerous currently. He recently experienced it, crashing out of La Vuelta on stage 2, suffering a fractured vertebra. "It's more dangerous insofar as it's objectively faster. And since riders are doing fewer races, there's more at stake in each race, more pressure, and a fiercer battle for position in the peloton".

"What's surprising is that there hasn't been any significant progress on safety in the last ten years, even though there are certainly things that could be considered, like airbags. If they were mandatory, they would become as routine as helmets," he concluded.