After talking to us in the previous part from his family, of the Groupama-FDJ continental team, races he has done this season, Lenny Martinez tells us about his time in the World Tour, of his transfer, teams who coveted it, about his future goals and cycling in general.
An early move into the professional world
Cycling Times : You told us about your time with the World Team of Groupama FDJ. Can you tell us a bit about the recruitment process ? There are recruiters ? It goes through agents, He is still in intensive care today. ?
lenny martinez : I know that it is often the coaches who recruit. They go to the races as a spectator. After, there is the junior follow-up where they come into contact with young people, then they accompany them to go to the Conti or not.
Now, there are many juniors who have agents [ ndlr : having an agent will soon be banned for juniors]. So here is, I think they message riders and agents to chat after.
It also goes through race results and power data tests. When you are a climber, there are no races in junior so it's interesting to look at the power data and see what it can give after the race.
C.T. : And suddenly, how did it go for you ?
L. M. : Moi, I made a selection for the world championships in junior. I was a junior 1 with the French team. We had a time, I believe, basic bump. And the Madeleine cyclosportive. I did well on these races. Then I was contacted by a Conti trainer. We have discussed, I sent him my power data. We made video. And he accompanied me in the junior follow-up. After, I performed well in junior. They then offered me a contract for the Conti.
C.T. : Speaking of contract, now that you have been with Groupama-FDJ (World Team), did you have any other proposals for mounting ?
L. M. : Yes. I had other proposals with other big World Tour teams. I chose Groupama-FDJ because I know a little. I've been on the team before. So I think it's good for learning and even for the future. It's a French team. Moi, I'm fine with them. So I continue with them.
C.T. : We can have the names of the teams that offered you to ride ?
L. M. : There were teams that were interested like Quickstep, Bahrain-Victorious, Israel-First Tech, UAE, INEOS. After, with the INEOS and UAE teams, we had discussed, but there was no contract offered. Others, there were contracts.
C.T. : When you sign in a pro team, on which points we negotiate ?
L. M. : On the form of the runner. I think, especially about the future, on what he can bring to the team and what he can do in the future compared to what he has already demonstrated. After, it is the runner who chooses where he goes. It is sure that when there are a lot of teams that line up, it raises the hill a little bit and it is a little more complicated for the formation to have the runner.
C.T. : You were talking about the fact that you had already done a few races with the World Team, did you notice any differences between the Conti and the World Team, whether on the atmosphere, the organization, supervision, He is still in intensive care today. ?
L. M. : There is a good ambiance. More than in Conti. 'Cause the guys are really relaxed. A la Conti, there is a really good atmosphere. But sometimes, there are some who have not yet made results, so they want to do. We are more focused than them [ndlr : than the riders of the World Team]. In the World Team, they already have many career years behind them. So really, they are relaxed. Even if it also depends on the races. They also tell us stories. It's good to have their experience.
And also, the way it is run in World Tour is more framed. There are teammates to ride. You know that normally that's where it'll attack, in the bump, and not in the plain. Because it's controlled. in hope, there are attacks everywhere. Occasionally, it's a bit of a mess, it doesn't roll.
C.T. : Do you feel reassured to join a training that you already know ? There are six other riders from La Conti in addition to you who will go up to the World Tour. Does it change anything ?
L. M. : Yes. I am reassured because I already know the team. So I don't worry. We are 7 to rise. [He is still in intensive care today.] We all did so well this year. There were so many runners who were strong that they didn't want to leave any for the other teams. They wanted to take almost everyone. But I think everyone who signed had the level for the World Tour. It's good to see them again next year in the team..
“What I like the most, it's the whole lifestyle of the cyclist”
C.T. : On the years to come, if all goes well, what would be your goals ?
L. M. : Maybe not next year, but in future years, in 2/3 years, maybe the Grand Tours. Try to perform on it, win races, stage victories on the Grand Tours.
C.T. : What do you want to improve on next season? ? Since you will have the opportunity to work even more in World Tour.
L. M. : Improve myself even more in bump. Then keep improving in time. It is important for the general rankings. And then above all, take cash. But it will be done gradually on the stages of 200 terminals by dint of participating in it. The more the years pass, the more enduring we are.
C.T. : Finally we wanted to talk about your vision of cycling in general. You made the choice to personally join the MPCC. What does it mean to you ?
L. M. : It is important. The team is MPCC. If I hadn't joined, that would have been weird. There's nothing to worry about. I think it's normal to join him. And then, the more runners there are who will join it, the more credible cycling will be. It's already changed years ago. I think more runners will join it, the better it will be.
C.T. : To finish, what do you like most about cycling ? What does it bring you on a daily basis? ?
L. M. : What I like the most, it's the whole lifestyle of the cyclist. It's training, it's running, it is to surpass oneself… When we make an effort, the feeling we have afterwards. It's a whole bunch of things. It's the life of a cyclist. You get up in the morning, you are going to ride, you will eat, you rest. The next day, you do the same thing. I like that a lot.
