'It felt strange' - Lenny Martinez surprised by Vingegaard's approach in Paris-Nice finale

After a series of demanding race weeks, including the Volta a Catalunya and earlier Paris-Nice, the Frenchman appeared on Eurosport’s Bistrot Vélo, where he first reflected on his performance in 'The Race to the Sun'.

Martinez left that race with a solid fifth place overall, but more notably with a prestigious stage win on the final day in Nice, where he outsprinted overall winner Jonas Vingegaard.

It was the situation on that final stage that caught him off guard. In a two rider move, he had expected a different kind of cooperation from a rider of Vingegaard’s stature. Instead, the Dane stayed on his wheel until the final straight.

“It felt strange when he refused to take a turn,” Martinez said. “In my head, the fact that he has won the Tour and was racing me like that, while I’m still very small compared to him in terms of palmarès… maybe it meant he was afraid of me for the sprint.”

The victory in Nice underlined his level early in the season, and that impression only grew stronger in the Volta a Catalunya. Against what many considered an even deeper field, Martinez delivered again, finishing second overall behind Vingegaard and confirming his consistency at the highest level.

He also feels he has taken a step forward. “I’m much stronger than last season,” he said.

His focus for the remainder of the season is clear. Rather than targeting the general classification at the Tour de France, he is aiming for stage wins and the mountains jersey while continuing to build his level. He has also identified a classic he would like to add to his palmarès.

“I have a good feeling about Flèche Wallonne,” he said. “Maybe not this year, but I hope to win it one day in my career.”

He remains a rider who divides opinion. The Frenchman has earned a reputation for racing on instinct, sometimes pushing the limits of what others consider fair play, with critics pointing to moments where he has taken advantage of situations in the heat of competition. Episodes like the sticky bottle discussion on the Col du Glandon during last year’s Tour de France, and his decisive move at the Critérium du Dauphiné while Enric Mas was at the feed, have only reinforced that image.

Martinez is aware of how he is perceived, but does not dwell on it.

“Honestly, I don’t really care,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t really understand what people are saying. It’s also possible that I just don’t agree with the comments about me. A lot of people have opinions. When you watch on TV, it’s different, you’re not inside the race. I don’t have anything against those people, I don’t have much hate, I just don’t always agree.”