Martin continues in Dauphiné with intestinal problems

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Tony Martin paid the price for his long attack in the first stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné, saying the exertion apparently made him susceptible to an intestinal infection. The Omega Pharma-QuickStep rider suffered from it so much during Monday's second stage that he was unsure whether he would be at the start on Tuesday for stage three, but ultimately he opted to continue in the race..

"The infection is making the rounds of the peloton at the race. I hope that it is just a harmless virus,” he wrote on his personal website. On Tuesday's stage, “I was very weak and couldn't support my team in the finale as I am used to doing.”

“Now I must see how I come through the night. Early tomorrow (Tuesday, ed.) morning I will decide what to do.” The world time trial champion evidently felt better Wednesday, as he was at the start.

Martin's attack on the opening stage was not planned, but happened rather accidentally. “I didn't want to attack. I simply went my tempo, then I had a gap of 100 meters on the field and kept on going. Then very quickly  I had three minutes and saw the lead group in front of me.”

He hoped that it might end in a stage win, but the peloton caught him before the finish. “But it was a good test of form anyway.”