Good 4th place... another season with National colors will be great and its for sure a great way to show the other teams what they get if they snatch Martijn for next season.. a true Champion.
@OZ: The start was been excellent from a racing point of view, terrible from a team point of view... I think we should concentrate on the racing No interest yet in Martijn, but it is only March
@sutty: Good to have the TT title for another year! The road race will be more difficult
@baia: Thanks! It was a missed chance at Sud-Ardèche, but 4th is still a good finish. Martijn is going to be a great signing for any team that signs him in this form
The retaining of my ITT Title was just half of what I wanted to achieve back in my home country. If anything, I wanted the Road Race Title more than I wanted the Time Trial victory.
This year's circuit would benefit a sprinter more than a Puncheur rider like myself, but the climbs could still be used as a launchpad if required. I also coming into this year's race with the benefit of 3 team-mates to help me, or help Chisiza if it comes together for a bunch sprint.
Race Report
It would be a lone attacker at the begin of the stage that would make up the day's breakaway. Bradley Potgieter (MTN) was hoping for some company during the race, but with only 13 riders present on the stage line, no others seemed too keen.
The weather was going to be a deciding factor on the results, and the cold, misty conditions was not going to be an enjoyable ride on the climbs.
With Meintjes and Nkumbula setting the pace on the front of the small peleton, Potgieter's lead never grew to more than 6 minutes out on the course. With 2 laps remaining, the gap was down to 1'26" and he was in sight on the longer straights.
Nkumbula was tiring in the chase, and soon I took over the duties, with Meintjes protecting me. I upped the pace, and opened a small gap on those behind. Jense Van Rensburg (Giant) managed to follow my accelleration, and as a trio, we pressed on in the chase of Potgieter.
Over the top of the climb on the final lap, Meintjes' work was done, and it was looking like the winner of the National Title would come from Potgieter, Jense Van Rensburg and I. My legs were sore from the chase, and I had to wary of Jense Van Rensburg finishing speed.
I tried to lose the others on the descent to the line, but the more I pressed on, the more I realised that I was leading-out the Giant rider. As the sprint opened up, I had no response to the turn of speed by Jense Van Rensburg. With 100metres to go, he came past me, taking the National Title. I had to settle for 2nd.
@baia: Rensburg was always going to be the strongest if I took him to the line. Sadly my changes of pace on the descent didn't cause him problems, and he just sat on my wheel... Just have to wait for next year!
I was hoping to return from the National Championships in a more optimistic light about the rest of the season, but just like with the Meeting with the Europcar Management Team, I was brought back to earth with my bang.
I returned back to Geneva to a half empty house, and my girlfriend Lizzie nowhere to be seen. Walking around the house, I found a note on the table saying that she needed some space, and that she had gone back to her parents house in Manchester. I wasn't to contact her, and she was sorry.
The relationship had been difficult since I had signed for Europcar. I was on the road for most of the season, and even I was at home, I had been either injured or training. She found the travelling with me too difficult, due to work commitments, and the recent developments towards my future with the team had caused more tension between us.
We argued the night before I went to the National Championships, and it seems that it was one argument too many. The relationship was over, but I needed to focus on my cycling. The Tirreno-Adriatico was only 3 days away, and I would be looking at playing a key part in the race. At the end of the day, I still had my bike...
To say that my head was already all over the place would be an understatement. My place in the team was up in the air, my girlfriend had left me, and I was not in the mood for any hassle and bad press. Thank god, that I could try and set my mind on Tirreno-Adriatico.
With a mixture of hilly and sprinter stages, I was looking at Stage 5 and 6 to make my impact on the race. Both had a small climb to the finish, and it should be where I put my mark on a high GC finish.
Race Report
Stage 1 was a hilly stage, but the finish should favour the sprinters. The late attack from Damiano Caruso (Cannondale) gave him the stage win, with Stefan Denifl (IAM) and Jurgen van den Broeck (Lotto) rounding off the podium. I won the bunch sprint for 5th, but came home 1'03" down on Caruso.
Stage 2, 3 and 4 went to the sprinters, as Kittel, Degenkolb (both Giant) and Kristoff (Katusha) showed their early form ahead of Milan-San Remo, taking a stage each. Adrian Petit was our man in the sprints, and struggled to force his way into the mix, as I sat 33rd in the Overall Standings.
Stage 5 was my first attempt to climb back up the GC ladder. Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) took the stage win from the breakaway, but an attack in the last 3km was enough to give me a 7th place and a small 12" gap over the GC rivals. I saw it as a big result, and I was up to 15th on GC.
Stage 6 and my final chance to make an impact on the GC. Again, the breakaway took the victory, Sep Vanmarcke (Belkin) showing his form ahead of Cobbled Classics. After I was almost caught in the final 500metres on stage 5, I decided to leave it a little later. The climb to the end was steeper than the previous day, and I hoped for more of a gap at the end. I finished 33" ahead of the chase group, in 4th, and climbing to 6th on GC. I couldn't have been happier. This was just what I needed after the last 4 weeks.
The final stage was almost like procession. I break went early, but was pulled back within the last 15 km. Kittel claimed his second stage win, and I finished in the main peleton. 6th on GC in a WorldTour race was a great result for me, and I think it proved to the doubters in the French Press that I can lead the squad. I think it also showed to any future employers what I could do.
I was clearly the stronger of the trio on the stage, and I comfortably took the KoM sprints and the single Intermediate Sprint on the stage. KoM Jersey was secured until at least the final stage, so I was happy with my day's work. I was the last to be caught from the break, and a textbook lead-out gave the stage win to Bryan Coquard. Great start to the race.
The ITT later in the day was son by Thibault Pinot, who made use of the hilly profile to post a fast time. Rohan Dennis finished 3rd on the stage, and sat 3rd on GC heading into the final stage. I had dropped to 33rd, 23" down on Pinot, but took the stage easy, focusing on the KoM sprints on Stage 3.
Stage 3, and I was on the attack again. A group of 4 made up the break of the day, with Erviti (Movistar), Le Lavandier (La Pomme) and De Bie (Lotto) joining me off the front. Over the first climb, I increased my lead in the KoM standings, as Erviti and De Bie were quickly dropped. Le Lavandier and I pressed on, and I comfortably secured the KoM jersey on my shoulders.
I was again the last to be caught, as the GC favourites attacked on the climb to the summit finish. Dennis was being well looked after and when the accelerations happened, he was well alert. Romain Bardet (AG2R) took the stage win and the GC victory with a solo attack, whilst Rohan battled to finish 4th. I came home with a small group 11'12 down on the winner Bardet.
Ever since it was released that Europcar were focussing more on French prospects, and my position on the team was undecided, the Transfer Rumour Mill has been turning. To be honest, it has been quite interesting to see what people come up with.
First out the hat was a transfer to Garmin-Sharp, who are looking at bolstering their Classics squad for the 2016 season already. I was linked with Garmin before my move to Europcar, and to be honest, I have always been a fan of them.
Another suggestion was a mid-season transfer, and following the news of Cadel Evans retiring after the Tour de France in July, a space has opened up with his current team, the Dutch Belkin Cycling Team.
I can honestly say that no discussions have taken place with any team, but I do see my future away from Europcar for 2016 and beyond.
Whilst my preparation so far this early season has been towards the Ardennes Classics, a serious injury to Sebastian Turgot means that could be given a baptism of fire at the Hell of the North, Paris-Roubaix.
I last rode on cobbles in the Tour Series as a Great Britain rider, and it was safe to say, I had a good track record at that level. Only issue is that Paris-Roubaix takes it to the next level, and there is no chance that I will be the Leader on the road.
I am certain that I will not take part in the Circuit de la Sarthe-Pays de la Loire, as initially planned, and I wait on standby for a call to whether I will tackle the cobbles in Northern France. I just don't know if I want the phone to ring or not now...
, now go and complete the double again 
Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg
Damiano Caruso
Stefan Denifl
Jurgen Van Den Broeck
Alexander Kristoff
Marcel Kittel
Nacer Bouhanni
Jakob Fuglsang
Moreno Hofland
Movistar Team
Rafal Majka
Esteban Cháves
Chad Haga
Eduardo Sepulveda
