Martin out to finish fine season on a high in Japan

CYCLING:DANIEL MARTIN had hoped to ride strongly in last Saturday's Giro di Lombardia, directing all of his training since August to be ready for the final Classic of the season. Those aspirations went kaput approximately 70km from the end when he fell heavily, skating along the rain-slickened roads. He was one of many non-finishers in the race, which was dominated by last year's winner, Philippe Gilbert.

Martin had been in excellent form. But he has another chance to cap off what has been a superb season when he lines out in the Japan Cup this weekend. Racing begins tomorrow with a criterium, but it is Sunday’s hilly road race which will give him the best chance of success.

The race has historically been won by strong climbers including Gilberto Simoni, Damiano Cunego, Riccardo Ricco and Chris Anker Sorensen. Martin fits that category and will be determined to make up for his disappointments six days ago.

Unlike many others in the bunch, he still feels motivated and sharp. “I am keen to race,” he said recently. “I had a really good break after the Giro. I haven’t done a whole lot of racing since then, but the form is good. As long as my condition is good, I am going to want to compete. Continuing to race makes the winter shorter as well, that is the best bit . . . less winter training to do!”

His cousin Nicolas Roche has already brought his season to an end and is recharging his batteries with some time away from the bike. Roche knows he is getting closer and closer to the top riders and plans to work on his time trialling over the winter.

Unlike many of the other Grand Tour contenders, he hasn’t had a TT bike at home to train on, which leaves him in a serious disadvantage when it comes to putting out the power in the discipline.

He, Martin and Philip Deignan are likely to have been encouraged by the details of the 2011 Tour de France, which were announced in Paris on Tuesday. There will be just one individual time trial, a 41km test in Grenoble, with the main time differences set to come in the mountain stages.

Each rider’s form will be initially tested on the smaller uphill finishes at Mûr-de-Bretagne (stage four) and Super-Besse Sancy (stage eight).

The major summit climbs to Luz-Ardiden, Plateau de Beille, Galibier Serre Chevalier and Alpe d’Huez will be far more crucial. The second-last of these concludes at the highest finish in the history of the event.

Fixtures – Sunday: Ulster cyclocross, Kilroot.