CYCLING – LENNY Martinez capped off another stellar WorldTour performance by claiming the Best Young Rider jersey and finishing second overall at the Tour de Romandie, following a decisive 17km individual time trial in Geneva.
The 21-year-old French climber entered the final stage in yellow, facing stiff competition from time trial specialist João Almeida. While Almeida posted a strong ride to take the overall GC, Martinez delivered a composed performance on the flat course to secure second place in GC – marking his first general classification podium at a WorldTour stage race.
His defining moment came on Stage 4, the queen stage and key summit finish of the race, where he outsprinted Almeida atop Thyon 2000 to take a stunning victory. That result, combined with a runner-up finish on Stage 3 in Cossonay, showcased his consistency and climbing strength.
Though the yellow jersey slipped away on the final day, Martinez remains proud of his achievement and focused on what’s to come:
“It was a super hard day. I wanted a spot on the GC podium and I think I can be proud of this 2nd place behind Joao Almeida. I went full gas in the TT but couldn’t make up 30 seconds.
Ending the week with a stage win and 2nd overall feels really nice. Big thanks to the staff and teammates – I’m proud of this team! Now, we look ahead to the Critérium du Dauphiné and keep building.”
&uuid=(email))