Lenny Martinez capped off a stellar debut season with Bahrain Victorious, claiming a great solo victory at the 32nd Utsunomiya Japan Cup Road Race.
The 22-year-old Frenchman continued his breakthrough year with another display of climbing prowess, adding to his earlier stage wins at Paris–Nice, Critérium du Dauphiné, and the Tour de Romandie.
The Japan Cup saw riders tackle 14 laps of a 10km circuit, featuring the demanding Kogashiyama climb each time. Attrition was the story of the day, with every lap reducing the peloton until only a handful of contenders remained.
With 20km to go, Martinez found himself among a select group of seven riders. Then, on the final ascent of Kogashiyama, the Frenchman launched a decisive attack, breaking clear and powering away solo. He maintained his advantage all the way to the finish, crossing the line 32 seconds ahead of Alex Baudin (EF Education–EasyPost).
Lenny Martinez Martinez, who also won the U23 Young Rider Award, shared his thoughts on the victory:
“I feel really good about this result. The team did a great job today, and I was in good condition, so I was able to make my move at the end. I started setting it up early because the climb wasn’t very long. Over the last three and two laps, I tried to reduce the group, and on the final lap, I chose the right moment to go solo. It’s better to be alone than to finish in a group.
It was the last race of the season, and I’m super happy to win — for the team, for the staff, and also for myself. We’re ending the season really well, and that’s great motivation for the winter. Plus, it’s not very common to race in Japan, so I’m especially happy to take the win in such a unique place.”
Bahrain Victorious Sports Director Michal Golas praises team effort after a strong Japan Cup performance:
“The boys did very well. We know it’s mid-October and the end of the season, but they were still very motivated — and they showed that yesterday as well, when Vlad Van Mechelen sprinted to third place in the Criterium. We had the feeling that they really wanted to ride a great Japan Cup, and that’s exactly what they did.
We were in the day’s breakaway with Rainer Kepplinger, and our team controlled things well. In the second part of the race, we made it hard, and then Lenny showed his strength. He did an excellent job, making the final selection just as planned. It’s always easy to guide the guys when they have such good legs, but it’s also a real pleasure to see that kind of motivation.”
