Like many riders in the peloton, Guillaume Martin is coming to the end of a long season in the Tour of Guangxi. At the start of the third stage in Nanning, he reflected on his 2019 season, his last with Wanty Group Gobert, and outlined his broad plans for 2020.
MartÃn has been consistent throughout the year, counting 87 racing days, a number that will put him in the top 10 of the propeloton once Guangxi is over. But with his new team, Cofidis, that will change, he says.
"Next year I'm going to target a few races instead of trying to be a regular throughout the season," he told Cycling News. For example, I will probably reduce the number of races a bit in order to be fresh and in top form for the Tour de France and to try to win a stage."
"That's a big goal for the French team, Cofidis. They haven't won a stage in 12 years (2008-editorial), so I think it's time for them, for us, to end that."
Every summer, there seems to be a debate about whether a top 10 finish or a stage win in Paris is more valuable.
"If I could do both, that would be really nice. If I could win a stage, that would be really good already, and if I could finish in the top 10, that wouldn't be so bad either. If we win a stage, that would be really good, and if we finish in the top 10, that's not so bad either. But we're talking about months down the road, so there's time."
The 27-year-old, who is moving on from the team he turned pro with, has only good things to say about the Belgian national team and their role in his development so far after four years with them.
"It's the end of one chapter in my cycling career. It was my first team and I had a good four years here. I really enjoyed it and I'm grateful for what they brought to the table.
"They always believed in me and made me the leader of the team, OK, now it's a new chapter. I want to race new races and take on new responsibilities.
He is also happy with the results of his long 2019 campaign, with 12 top-five finishes, including victory at the summit finish of Mount Etna in the Giro di Sicilia.
"I've been in almost every race I've participated in," he said. 'From January to October. So we end the season with 90 days of racing and a lot of good results."
"I only won one race. But I was really regular throughout the season. I'm really happy with the season, even though I never counted a top 10."
"I'm really happy with the season,"
"I'm really happy with my performance.
Martin has one last chance to increase his win total for 2019 in Sunday's stage in Guangxi. Stage 4 climaxes with a hilltop finish and 3.5km climb to the Nongla Scenic Area north of Nanning.
This stage defined the race in the first and second editions and will be followed by two more flat stages. Martin took the lead of the peloton on the final climb of stage 3 and attacked before a sprint finish in Nanning.
"Definitely, I want to aim for a good GC. Everything will be decided tomorrow. I think that will be an important day."
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