During the Tour de France, Varois Lenny Martinez wants to "chase the stages"

pleasure in chasing stages." For his second Tour de France, Lenny Martinez has revealed his ambitions, three days before the start in Lille. The 21-year-old from Var wants to secure a stage victory in the Grande Boucle, after those in Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné this season.

"For now, I'd rather win a stage than finish in the top 10 overall," the Bahrain-Victorious rider told the press. "When you win, it's a feeling at the finish that doesn't last long, but it's crazy."

The small-built climber (1.68m, 52kg) has an exceptional power-to-weight ratio and, given his mountain abilities, is considered one of the main national hopes to challenge for the general classification in the Tour de France, which no Frenchman has won since Bernard Hinault in 1985.

"I don't feel any pressure about it because I'm still very, very far from winning the Tour. I know it's impossible for the moment. I much prefer to be free and aim for the stages," insists the rider from the Fayence region, where he grew up alongside his mother Laurence.

The son of Miguel, Olympic mountain bike champion in 2000, and grandson of Mariano, best climber of the 1978 Tour, has ticked off "quite a few stages" , such as those arriving at Mûr-de-Bretagne, Mont Ventoux and Mont-Dore.

And he worked "on his punchy side all winter long" with his new coach. "He saw that I had the ability to do short efforts and he really pushed for that. Even though I also have the ability to climb long passes, it's that little difference that makes you win when you arrive in a small group. I'm arriving more confident now."

Playing for the general classification, "that will be in two years perhaps" , he underlines, knowing that a rider like Tadej Pogacar is still "really very far ahead" .

"I still have a lot of progress to make. But Pogacar is also progressing very, very quickly. The level is just incredible."