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Dan Martin of Garmin-Sharp wins Il Lombardia

Irish rider attacks from back of strong group to win second Monument of his career

Garmin-Sharp’s Dan Martin has won the second Monument of his career, this afternoon winning Il Lombardia in Bergamo to add to his victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege last year. Martin, who rides under an Irish licence, is the second British-born winner of the race after Tom Simpson in 1965, and is also the second Irish winner after Sean Kelly, a three-time victor.

The Birmingham-born rider, second in Il Lombardia in 2011, has had a frustrating season, crashing on the final corner as he sought to retain his Liege-Bastogne Liege title in April, and then another crash on the opening team time trial of the Giro d’Italia in that race put him out of what had been his season’s big target.

This afternoon he was in a very strong group of nine riders that contested the finish and which had got away with around 3km remaining as the race came over the top of the climb to the upper town in Bergamo before descending towards the finish, and sat at the back of the group before launching his attack inside the final kilometre.

Alejandro Valverde of Movistar finished second, with former world champion Rui Costa of Lampre Merida third, from a group that also contained BMC Racing’s Samuel Sanchez and his team mate Philippe Gilbert, winner of the race in 2009 and 2010.

After his victory, Martin said: “I saw a moment of hesitation. I don’t think the other riders even knew I was there, because I was in last position all the time. Once I had some speed, I knew I’d get a gap, and then it was a question of don’t crash. I’ve got a history of crashing on the last corner - in Lombardy last year, and in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It’s incredible. I have no words.”

Speaking of his 2014 season, he went on: “It has been a difficult year, After crashes in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Giro d’italia, I also crashed at the Vuelta, at a really bad moment. Even last week, at the Worlds, people fell in front of me, leaving me out of contention.

"I’ve mostly had good luck in my career, so it’s normal to have a season of bad luck. The team helped me: they really believed I could win today, so it was easier to stay motivated and train hard coming into these final races. I didn’t want to finish the season without a win. After the Vuelta, I really worked 100% and I wanted to win here or in Beijing, and I’ve won here, so it’s a special victory.”

He continued: “Lombardia is one of my first cycling memories. I remember watching it when I started cycling, with Paolo Bettini winning. It’s incredible to win it now. I’ve been to the Sancuary at the Ghisallo many times. I love cycling history and it’s one of the biggest races of the year, so to have my name on the palmares is incredible. Il Lombardia has always been one of my favourite races.

"I first saw I could do well in the long races in 2009, when I got 8th at Como. It’s one of the most beautiful classics, although it’s a different type of race. The peloton is tired, but you still have the best climbers in the world. The course makes it beautiful, and it’s great being close to the Worlds: you have a great peloton.”

Looking ahead, he added: “I enjoy my racing, and I enjoy one-day races more than anything. I proved at the Vuelta that I can do well in three-week tours, but winning one is still a few years away. Anyway, there’s something about one-day racing. You start full of energy, and you end empty. You have to take risks to win. I love that kind of racing. I’m only 28 and I’ve already won 2 monuments, so I’m just going to continue how I am and enjoy racing.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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13 comments

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Kapelmuur | 9 years ago
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Dan Martin is British and came up through the development squad managed by Rod Ellingworth. At the time the emphasis was on track racing, Martin wanted to specialise on the road. Quite why he ended up with an Irish licence I don't know, maybe he got the support there that the British set up was unable to offer or maybe it was the influence of his Irish relatives on his mother's side.

With an English father and a Belgian mother, having no sporting talent has saved me from a similar dilemma.

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zedand3 | 9 years ago
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I'm not sure where young Dan grew up, but it must have been an area with no orthodontists!  1

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stenmeister | 9 years ago
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We all know that Dan's heritage and relationship to the Roche clan of Ireland but I think road.cc needs to decide in it's reporting how it want to label him.

Labeling him as British-born winner and second Irish winner after Sean Kelly in the same sentence is trying to have it all. Be like Dan - decisive.

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ColT replied to stenmeister | 9 years ago
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stenmeister wrote:

Be like Dan - decisive.

I used to be decisive. Now, I'm not so sure.

PS: what's the problem? He is both British-born and Irish. Those are the facts which the reporter/editor deemed relevant to the story. Nothing indecisive there.

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daddyELVIS | 9 years ago
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Great win. Love the fact he's well into cycling history, making this victory even more special.

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SilkRoadPadd | 9 years ago
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Will you listen to your self? 2nd British winner after Simpson. Since when was this fcuked up country issue-ing our passports. How many British racers are as exciting and risk everything like Danno? Well i'm waiting. So what if he was born in Brum, culturely we don't think like you lot, or feckin ride like you lot.

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joules1975 replied to SilkRoadPadd | 9 years ago
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SilkRoadPadd wrote:

Will you listen to your self? 2nd British winner after Simpson. Since when was this fcuked up country issue-ing our passports. How many British racers are as exciting and risk everything like Danno? Well i'm waiting. So what if he was born in Brum, culturely we don't think like you lot, or feckin ride like you lot.

I think you need to calm down, and also understand a bit more about both nationality and dan Martin.

Nationality is a pretty fluid, often arbitrary thing, and dan Martin, like chris froome, is a great example of that. Dan, born in Britain to a British father and an Irish mother, has both uk and Irish citizenship but lives in Spain. What nationality he is comes down to what he feels as much as place of birth, parents or current home. Look back at pretty much anyone's family tree and you'll soon find blood from other races/nationalities. Nationality is a great way of grouping people together, but doesn't hold together to well if you try to apply it over multiple generations.

Also, a persons choice to ride for/play for/represent a particular country could be down as much to particular circumstances and opportunities available to him at the time of his decision, as much as any feeling of nationality. I've no idea what led dan to choose Ireland, but look at all the African born athletes that now participate for middle eastern nations, South African cricketers that played for England, and rugby players of various nationalities playing for nations to which on paper they have very little connection.

That said, the article should state British born, and not simply British. That way the article would be stating fact.

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ColT replied to SilkRoadPadd | 9 years ago
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SilkRoadPadd wrote:

Will you listen to your self? 2nd British winner after Simpson. Since when was this fcuked up country issue-ing our passports. How many British racers are as exciting and risk everything like Danno? Well i'm waiting. So what if he was born in Brum, culturely we don't think like you lot, or feckin ride like you lot.

Jeez, calm down fella. British-born...

For what it's worth, the last time I raced against Dan, he was wearing the British (junior) Champion's jersey, so I think he was British then. Possibly.

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farrell replied to SilkRoadPadd | 9 years ago
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SilkRoadPadd wrote:

Will you listen to your self? 2nd British winner after Simpson. Since when was this fcuked up country issue-ing our passports. How many British racers are as exciting and risk everything like Danno? Well i'm waiting. So what if he was born in Brum, culturely we don't think like you lot, or feckin ride like you lot.

The DFA often issue Irish passports out of the Embassy in London (based on Cromwell Street, someone was taking the piss there...).

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mrmo replied to farrell | 9 years ago
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farrell wrote:

The DFA often issue Irish passports out of the Embassy in London (based on Cromwell Street, someone was taking the piss there...).

Lots of second generation Irish in the UK, always have been, and as long as you have a parents birth certificate to prove it quite easy to get an Irish Passport from the embassy in London.

It is my make sure I have a European passport if the Tories do the stupid UKIP and get out of the EU thing.

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antonio | 9 years ago
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Classic move, jump from the back at speed, brill!

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Flying Heron | 9 years ago
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Nice to see Dan come up trumps! Late flurry for Garmin.

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andyspaceman | 9 years ago
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That finale was brilliant, just a devestating attack from Dan to leave the rest of the group floundering and wondering where on earth he'd come from. He made a very classy group of riders look like novices with his timing and raw speed.

Very well deserved, especially after his rotten luck in Liege when he was perfectly positioned for the win.

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