Podium for Lenny Martinez at Giro dell’Emilia
# Lenny Martinez Clinches Podium Finish at Giro dell’Emilia
In a thrilling finish at the iconic San Luca in Bologna, Lenny Martinez from Bahrain Victorious secured a notable third-place finish at the 108th edition of the Giro dell’Emilia. The French rider crossed the line behind Isaac Del Toro of UAE Team Emirates, who took the win, and Thomas Pidcock from Q36.5, who finished in second place.
Martinez made his return to competitive cycling after a lengthy hiatus, his last race having been the San Sebastian event in early August. He was designated as one of the leaders for this prestigious Autumn classic, which commenced in Mirandola and concluded at the Sanctuary of Madonna di San Luca. The grueling 199 km race featured an average gradient of 10.5%, with steep sections reaching 18%. Cyclists faced five demanding climbs of the notorious 2 km ramp.
As the day unfolded and the breakaway was caught by the peloton, relentless attacks began on San Luca. On the penultimate ascent, Cian Uijtdebroeks from Visma | Lease a Bike attacked, and Martinez quickly joined him, gaining a slight advantage. However, they were soon reeled back in during the final lap.
The race’s conclusion was defined by Pidcock’s explosive acceleration at the base of the last climb. Del Toro, who had been relatively under the radar, managed to catch up to Pidcock with 700 meters remaining to secure the victory. Martinez, meanwhile, fought valiantly to close the gap, finishing just five seconds behind and overtaking notable competitors like Egan Bernal in 4th and Primož Roglič in 5th place.
Bahrain Victorious’ Sports Director, Roman Kreuziger, expressed his elation with the team’s performance, stating, “I’m very happy because the goal, in our performance plan, was a top 8. After reviewing the start list, we told the guys we’d be happy with a top 5, and we actually made the podium, so we can’t complain.” He added that while Martinez could have employed a more tactical approach, the podium finish was well-earned.
Reflecting on the race, Martinez shared his optimism, stating, “I was returning to racing, so I’m really happy to come back with a good result. The team did an excellent job all day long. It’s nice to race with my teammates again, and I’m glad to give the team a podium today. I’d say we’ve made a good start to the Italian campaign.”
With this performance, Lenny Martinez and Bahrain Victorious set a promising tone as they continue their Italian racing campaign.
