‘It is more interesting’ as Guillaume Martin explains Vuelta shift after Pogacar exit

Pogačar’s Vuelta ended after a crash in stage 8 forced him out of the race, but his influence on the race has not disappeared with him.

Since the Slovenian from UAE Team Emirates-XRG abandoned after his crash, the rythm of the race has changed. The peloton is less controlled, more teams are willing to take risks and breakaways are finding more space to survive.

Guillaume Martin has noticed the difference.

“Without Pogačar, it is less controlled,” Martin told MARCA. “I think it is more interesting for the spectacle as well.”

The Groupama-FDJ United is not celebrating Pogačar’s absence. His point is that a rider of his level changes the way an entire Grand Tour is raced.

When Pogačar is there, the race often revolves around him. His team sets the terms and the rest of the peloton reacts.

Now that he is gone, the Vuelta has opened up. “I think that since Pogačar crashed and left La Vuelta, we are going to see a lot of breakaways making it to the finish,” Martin said.

That suits the Frenchman.

Martin has spent much of his career looking for opportunities in difficult, open races, often attacking from distance rather than waiting for the favourites to decide the outcome.

This Vuelta is beginning to offer exactly that kind of terrain.

“It has been a long time since we had a Grand Tour that suited breakaways,” he said.

The recent results have reinforced his view. Martin’s teammate Bastien Tronchon claimed a surprise win on stage 10 and 20-year-old Jakob Omrzel’s victory at Calar Alto two days later showed just how open the race has become. With no single favourite controlling proceedings, more riders are finding opportunities to race for the win.

“We have seen surprise winners in recent days and I think it will be the same in the days to come,” Martin said.

He hopes to be one of them.

After a Tour de France in which he never found his best form, Martin says his legs have come around at the Vuelta.

“My form is good, much better than at the Tour. It has been a long time since I felt this good.”

His team also has a stage victory already in the bag, which has taken away some of the pressure. But Martin says there is still plenty to race for.

“We are still fighting for the general classification with Clément, and maybe I can finish in the top 10. It is not over for us.”

For Martin himself, a stage victory is the main target. Asked whether he believes he can win one before the race reaches Madrid, he did not hesitate.

“I think so. My legs are fresh. I am going to try, for sure.”