From our special correspondent in Brest,
He finished twice in a row at the foot of the top 10, finishing 12th in 2019 and 11th and first French in 2020. “I had good results but never this great coup,” he admits. So this year, Guillaume Martin has decided to change his approach to the Tour de France by completely detaching himself from the general to aim for a stage. “It’s weird mentally because it’s a new way of looking at the Tour for me,” said the leader of the Cofidis team.
When @GuilmMartin is found in the @BAQcanal ! 😁 https://t.co/waebf1lryg
– Team Cofidis (@TeamCOFIDIS) June 21, 2021
A philosophy graduate, the Socrates of the peloton made their decision quite early in the season when they saw the course of this 108th edition which promises to be less mountainous. “There is also the prospect of the Olympic Games in Tokyo which will require freshness,” he said. Freed from the weight of the general who calls for “a lot of energy”, the French climber is therefore preparing to go on the offensive on the roads of the Tour to land a stage which is still lacking in his record.
“You have to know how to renew yourself at times”
Because if he does not “run after recognition”, he also knows that a stage victory “has a completely different flavor in the eyes of the public and in terms of emotions” compared to an 11th place. The Norman runner also sees this new strategy as a personal challenge. “You have to know how to renew yourself at times so as not to fall into a form of weariness,” indicates the leader of Cofidis. I also want to show that my palette is wide enough ”.
If the opportunity arises, Guillaume Martin could also join the battle for the polka dot jersey for best climber, which he won last year on the roads of the Vuelta. “But it can also be a handicap to wear the polka dot jersey if you are aiming for a stage,” he believes. It will be a secondary objective. “