In between the rain showers in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, I found a few minutes to talk to fellow-Brummie Dan Martin (Etixx-QuickStep), my rider of the race from the recent Volta a Catalunya.

Love this race. Love this team. Thanks to the boys for their work the last days. Great feeling to win #WayToRide pic.twitter.com/r4bvfuBqWt

— Dan Martin (@DanMartin86) March 23, 2016

After his spectacular victory on stage 3 atop La Molina and third-place overall, I asked him if we could expect something similar this week. Dan replied:

I’m feeling pretty tired and was sick the past couple of days. We’ll see. Obviously I’m here to try and win a stage. I’m just going to take it day by day and hopefully I’ll get a result.

Two brutal stage races are great preparation for the forthcoming Ardennes Classics where Dan, given his record in these races is, not unnaturally, aiming for victory in all four races. We wish him well in his endeavours but sadly he rode off before I could ask him whether the Panda had also switched teams. Will we be seeing him once again encouraging Dan up those final all-important climbs in Belgium and Holland?

Follow Dan Martin on his Website, Twitter and Facebook.

Header image: Dan Martin at Vuelta al Pais Vasco 2016 © Richard Whatley