Since 2008, Paul Martens has been riding for the Dutch LottoNL-Jumbo team and its predecessors. Most of the time the 33-year-old has been among the riders to achieve results . However, Martens could not build on these successful years in 2016.

The bottom line of the season was a third place in a stage at the Tour of Norway (2.HC) where he was eleventh overall. These were the only significant results. "I want to forget the 2016 season quickly," Martens summed up the disappointing year in an interview radsport-news.com.

The all-rounder is unable to explain what went wrong. "I had no injuries, no physical problems, or other reasons to explain that everything was not going so well. But that makes it more difficult to accept that I have not achieved the desired goals, "Martens said.

Nonetheless, he had a real highlight because he made it into the Tour team of LottoNL-Jumbo for the second time after his debut in 2015. Like in the past year, the veteran was a reliable helper and again reached the finish in Paris.

Despite or because of the bad season, Martens is already full of ambitions for 2017. 

"I still get excited when I'm not good enough. I am also keen to give everything in the winter to show my true potential next year," said the Rostock native who hopes to be back at the Tour de France next year. "Just because the start is in Duesseldorf, which will definitely make it a great thing," said Martens.