Dan Martin, while welcoming the news that the 2020 Tour de France will follow an innovative and perhaps more unpredictable route, warned that if race organizer ASO wants an open race suitable for riders like Julien Alaphilippe (Desseuninck-Quick Step) and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) ), warned that the rumored mountain time trial to La Planche des Belle Filles on the final Saturday could be counterproductive.

"They are trying to make the Tour de France different," he said.

"Next year's race will be different from the start in Nice, a time trial up La Planche des Belle Filles could be cool. I don't think it will be extreme.

Martin is known for his aggressive racing and could benefit if the 2020 Tour de France leans on the current Frenchman's climbing and attacking talent. Alaphilippe spent 14 days in the yellow jersey before Egan Bernal (Team Ineos) beat him in the Alps, and Pinot was poised to fight for the overall win until muscle fatigue forced him to retire in tears.

Alaphilippe won the rolling time trial around Pau, but Team Ineos has traditionally set up the Tour de France with significant time differences in time trials. Organizer ASO wants to limit the number of kilometers of time trials and keep the race open and entertaining if it hinders Team Ineos. 2020's Tour de France will feature the Pyrenees, Massif Central, and the Alps and A third week in the Vosges is planned, and the final mountain time trial may take place on the steep slopes of La Planche des Belle Filles.

However, Martin recognizes that different does not always mean better.

"A mountain time trial in the second half might actually be counterproductive because some riders might wait for it. Martin warns.

"This year the time trial in Pau was early in the race, which made it an aggressive race; when the time trial is much later in the race, as it was in Marseille in 2017, it doesn't create the same time difference.

The Irishman will move to the Israel Cycling Academy in 2020, where the Professional Continental Team will take over Katusha-Alpecin's slot on the WorldTour. Martin plans to target the Ardennes Classics and shorter stage races, but may lead a team in the Tour de France.

"When I signed with the Israel Cycling Academy, I was not competing in the Tour de France and had already started thinking about another program. The cycling world is moving so fast that I will have to sit down over the winter and decide on my ambitions," he explained.

"I knew that going down to the Pro Continental level would change things and bring the rejuvenation, the change I needed. I'm going to race as hard as I always do in any race and see where it takes me. So far in my career, that's been enough."