UAE Team Emirates’ Martin upbeat for Amstel Gold

‘Training has gone well since the Volta a Catalunya, despite the heavy crash’

UAE Team Emirates Dan Martin will be looking to secure his first win for the team as the Irishman leads a strong line up to tackle the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday. Martin, who joined the UAE outfit for the 2018 season, will be hoping to prove his fitness ahead of the upcoming Liège — Bastogne — Liège, a race he knows well having taken home the victory in 2013.

Joining Martin in the Netherlands is an experienced team of riders including former World Champion Rui Costa, Diego Ulissi, Matteo Bono, Rory Sutherland and Manuele Mori. Capping off the seven-rider line-up will be youngster Alexandr Riabushenko who impressed recently at the Tour of the Basque Country.

“Training has gone well since the Volta a Catalunya, despite the heavy crash on the last stage. I’ve been in good condition all season, but bad luck has prevented me from showing it in the final results. I feel ready and I’m looking forward to what are some of my favourite races of the season,” said Martin while speaking ahead of the race.

The 2018 Amstel Gold Race starts in the southern Dutch province of Limburg. The race marks the start of the Ardennes Classics which will be contested over the course of the next seven days. This Sunday’s race will see riders tackle a 263km route through the hills as they navigate four circuits and a total of 35 short, steep climbs.

Whilst not terribly demanding, the sheer number of climbs could play a vital role in the general classification standings — not least when it comes to the final climb of the day, The Bemlerberg. The race certainly favours the allrounders; fast-finishers with good climbing ability and with perfect conditions forecast, spectators can expect a thrilling day of cycling.