DAN MARTIN
ISRAEL START-UP NATION
The 2021 season is upon us. As I write this I’m at our January training camp near Girona after the most horrifically cold winter I have experienced in Andorra. Dealing with bad weather is a state of mind and I just got on with the work. One of the reasons I base myself in Andorra all year is the fact the government does an impeccable job keeping the roads clean and salted, with real, ice-destroying salt. One week, every day I woke up it was below minus 10, with frequent snow, but I didn’t miss a beat training. My bottle of energy drink even froze on one ride. Add the solid winter to the strong finish to 2020 and I feel ready and raring to go.
This team really feels like home now and I am relaxed and happy. It’s amazing what a difference simply feeling valued and respected makes to a pro athlete and hopefully we can continue where we left off in 2020. The strengthening of the team is very exciting but I know nearly all the new guys well and due to the thorough interview process this team undertakes, personality is a key component in who they sign, so we are all having a good time getting to know each other. There are no egos and it’s a pleasure to be around them. That will translate into results.
It’s unsure as to when and where we will get racing as the threat of covid-19 cancellations once again looms over us. Fortunately we still have a couple of months until the major races but the stage races in February are key in the preparation for March and April. Everybody is just hoping for a season resembling some kind of normality this year but clearly if things deteriorate any more than the current situation, safety has to be the priority and all talk of bubbles and frequent testing becomes irrelevant if the healthcare system is in danger of being overloaded. This is only sport. It’s a living for many but this is unprecedented. Fingers crossed that normality will soon be resumed. We are certainly preparing as though that is the case.
My plan for the year is not yet set in stone, a somewhat unusual approach. I simply don’t feel the need to announce my programme goals and expectations for the year, mainly because I only have one aim: to enjoy racing my bike and do my best. That means that we are waiting until race routes are released before we decide my race programme. Perhaps it’s experience, or being a father, but I want to do the races that I believe I have the best opportunities in. Having said that, I am down to ride the Tour alongside a certain Mr Chris Froome, but we are not going to pigeonhole roles or ambitions. The aim is to share knowledge and experience to drive this team forward and get the best results possible. Exciting times.