The Peak of Teide has not been worrying regarding the extraction of pumice and sulfur for ages. With its high temperatures, the strato-volcano of the Canary Islands, the highest peak in the North Atlantic at 3,715 meters, is now the charm of climbers and cyclists for a good half of the year.
For the past week, Lenny Martinez has been completely blossoming there. Now aged 20, he is starting his second professional season with the Groupama-FDJ team with an intense training course at altitude. A necessary part of the pre-season of the world circuit which he takes on with undisguised joy. “The more I train, the better I feel, believes the pure climber. I like being in the bike-bike-bike thing.”
For months, observers have announced it as a very big one. Last year, the young man from Montauroux climbed the steps (12th in the Tour de Catalunya, 18th in the Critérium du Dauphiné) with discretion. Until his victory over the Giant of Provence, at CIC-Mont-Ventoux, and his astonishing Tour of Spain, wearing the red jersey for two days.
“Having the team win wouldn’t be bad”
In Tenerife, he knows that he is laying the first dominoes of a season which, he hopes, will take him even higher. “The idea of going to altitude very early is to have beneficial effects from the first races of the season, the Classic Var (next February 16 between Saint-Raphaël and Toulon, Editor’s note) and the Gran Camino (four-day race around Galicia, editor’s note), he repeats. It’s going well, the landscape is beautiful and we’re training well. That’s what I’m looking for too, the team training load. With the conditions we have, we can work really well, which is useful to move forward.”
In the Canaries, Lenny Martinez clocked twenty-five hours in a week. Six hundred and fifty kilometers pounding, with a climb of around thirty terminals at an average of 5.2% every day. “At home, I go up to twenty hours maximum, those are long weeks”he blurted.
His power readings are good, and his tanned smile shines through the telephone receiver. It must be said that Lenny’s generation works in science. “I think the team has higher expectations than last year, which is normal. Even I want to do better, he judges. My status as a leader is evolving and taking on a little more space. I think I will later be one of the leaders of the team and, with other riders, try to win a lot of races.”
His achievements validated the method. During times of rest, he “a little cycling, a little hiking”.
In his hotel room, he doesn’t add any. “I watch a little Netflix, I go on social media, I do a little stretching while listening to music. That’s always less to do than at home”he smiles.
The restart will therefore be at home, on the Classic Var: 183km between Saint-Raphaël and Toulon, with a final ascent on Mont Faron (7.2km at 6%). “I’m going there to win, like any race. There, even more so given that it’s in the south of France, and then, it’s a beautiful course. I would like to win the race, yes .”
He already visualizes it. We ask him if he ever drew an ideal scenario. “Yes, a classic scenario, he says. A small breakaway leaves, the peloton in control behind, it returns before the bump, the teammates launch the leaders and then, flat out until the finish, with a solo victory. I will do everything for it and, if David (Gaudu) wins, that’s good too. Helping the team win wouldn’t be bad.”
My status as a leader is evolving and taking on a little more space. I think I will later be one of the leaders of the team and try to win a lot of races.
With Teuns
On Friday February 16, the first edition of the Classic Var will be held, from Saint-Raphaël to Toulon (183 km), organized by the Nice-Matin Group. And, notably with the final ascent of Mount Faron (7.2 km at 6%, including a peak of 13.1%), it will bring together a tempting line-up of climbers: last week, the Belgian Dylan Teuns (Israel – Premier Tech), multiple stage winner in the Tour de France and the Tour of Spain, joined Bardet, Gaudu, Martin, Vauquelin and other Paret-Peintre in the list of 128 starters. A great fight in prospect between “great runners”, observes Martinez.
