UAE Team Emirates rider Dan Martin had no luck on his side during stage two of the Criterium du Dauphine as he finished 32nd.
The 31-year-old, who finished third in the 2016 and 2017 editions of the race, is bidding for his third consecutive podium finish in France as he continues his preparations for next month’s Tour de France.
Daryl Impey of the Mitchelton team dominated the bunch sprint to win yesterday’s second stage of the eight-day race in France.
Sky’s Polish rider Michal Kwiatkowski retains the yellow overall leader’s jersey after his victory in the prologue, a 6.6km time trial on Sunday.
Speaking after the stage finish in Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert, Martin said: “I managed to reach the arrival in the first group: the stage profile was not as demanding compared to previous years, however, two crashes in the final 15 km split the group.
“(Sven Erik) Bystrøm, (Valerio) Conti, (Edward) Ravasi and I succeeded in being with the front of the race. I was following Conti and I was very close to crashing, but I managed to avoid to being involved.
“I feel pretty good, I really hope to repeat the podium results of the past two years, when I was third.
He added: “The Dauphine is important also because it’s a mini-Tour de France, with an individual time trial, a team time trial – things that are hard to mimic in training – and because we race on some of the same roads that we are going to face in the 11th stage of the Tour.”
Best for UAE Team Emirates were: Valerio Conti (18th), Sven Erik Bystrøm (22nd), Edward Ravasi (38th), Rory Sutherland (118th), Simone Petilli (122nd) and Manuele Mori (143rd).
Today’s third stage will see the peloton tackle a 181km ride from Montbrison to Belleville.
