Martinez Takes Third at Faun-Ardèche Classic
# Lenny Martinez Secures Third Place at Faun-Ardèche Classic
Bahrain Victorious marked a successful start to their weekend in the French Ardèche–Drôme region with a notable podium finish, as Lenny Martinez clinched third place at the Faun-Ardèche Classic (1.Pro). The challenging one-day race spanned a technical 187.6 km course that commenced and concluded in Guilherand-Granges, showcasing a particularly decisive climb at the 142 km mark.
The pivotal moment of the race unfolded when Paul Seixas of the Decathlon–CMA CGM Team orchestrated a bold attack with about 40 kilometers remaining, alongside Lenny Martinez, Matteo Jorgenson from Visma | Lease a Bike, and Fabio Christen of UAE Team Emirates. Seixas then pulled away with a solo effort, ultimately crossing the finish line 1’48” ahead of the chasing trio. Christen secured second place, followed by Martinez in third and Jorgenson in fourth.
Reflecting on his performance, Lenny Martinez stated, “It was a nice race. I want to say thank you to the guys for today — they did a great job. Third place is a good result, especially considering that the final didn’t suit me perfectly. So I’m happy with this.”
Sports Director Roman Kreuziger praised the team’s collective effort, noting, “It was good to see the guys, especially Zambanini and Miholjević, racing again with the right spirit. Borremans and Ermakov were fully committed to the team plan. Unfortunately, Omrzel had a puncture at the worst possible moment while fighting for position, which cost him a lot of energy.”
Rounding out his thoughts on Martinez’s performance, Kreuziger added, “Lenny delivered an amazing ride and I’m very happy with his performance. This result should give him confidence again. He was on an excellent day and hats off to him. He rode very impressively. I’m confident he can recover well and that we will fight again for a strong result here in France.”
The Faun-Ardèche Classic in 2026 marks its 26th edition and continues to be a challenging event for riders. With this podium finish, Bahrain Victorious sets a strong tone for the races ahead.
