Lenny Martinez Claims Third on Opening Stage of Tour de Romandie
# Lenny Martinez Shines with Third Place Finish on Tour de Romandie Opening Stage
Lenny Martinez made headlines on the opening stage of the Tour de Romandie, securing an impressive third place while simultaneously leading the King of the Mountains (KOM) and Best Young Rider classifications. The 171.2-kilometer stage, which featured a challenging 2,186 meters of climbing, came alive on the demanding Category 1 ascent to Ovronnaz, an 8.9-kilometer climb averaging 9.6%.
As the race progressed, Martinez was among the few riders who could keep pace with the dominant Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), a key contender in the General Classification (GC). Near the summit, Martinez showcased his climbing prowess by overtaking Pogačar to earn maximum KOM points, reaching the peak alongside Pogačar, Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe), and Jørgen Nordhagen (Visma Lease a Bike). The four riders managed to maintain their lead over a chasing group of twelve, including Antonio Tiberi, finishing the stage 21 seconds ahead.
In a gripping finale, Martinez launched a strong sprint but narrowly missed out on a second-place finish, ultimately securing third after a photo finish with Lipowitz. Tiberi rounded off a successful day for Bahrain Victorious by finishing seventh from the chase group.
Reflecting on his performance, Martinez noted, “Yeah, the feeling wasn’t amazing, but it was okay. In the final, I felt completely empty, but it’s the first stage so it’s often like this. It’s still a good start. It was also nice to have Antonio behind in the group; he helped me a lot, and the whole team did a great job positioning me well for the climb. I’m happy to start Romandie like this.”
Team director Roman Kreuziger expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “As expected, it was a controlled start with the initial laps, and we knew it would come down to the climb. The team did an excellent job positioning Lenny for that moment. We can be very satisfied with third place, especially as it was so close to second with Lipowitz. Of course, every team has its own tactics… It’s always tough to come close to a stage win, but we know how strong Pogačar is, so we stay grounded and take confidence from how both riders handled the final.”
Martinez’s strong showing sets a positive tone for the remainder of the race, indicating his potential as a formidable competitor in this year’s Tour de Romandie.
