In his seventh year with the Belkin team (formerly Rabobank), Paul Martens was again both a reliable domestique and able to achieve personal results. Hence, the 31-year-old draws a positive balance in an interview with radsport-news.com.

"I have been very consistent and rarely had very bad days. When I had freedom, I was usually in podium contention," Martens tells the German website.

The classics specialist also reached the top step of the podium in early June at the Tour of Belgium when he won the hard final stage. Two weeks later, Martens again used his good form to finish second in the Ronde van Limburg.

He completed his personal podium one week later when he was third in the third stage of the Ster ZLM Toer. In the overall standings in the Dutch race, Martens was fourth. The German who lives in Belgium, completed his good performances in the half of the season with fourth places on stages of the Volta a Catalunya and two fifth places on stages in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco.

Only in the Ardennes classics in April, things didn't go as planned. "I missed a bit of my top shape there," said Martens who still finished 13th in Fleche Wallonne. His difficult start to the season was caused by persistent knee problems that slowed down his preparaion in the winter.

The highlights of the second half of the season were the Vuelta a Espana and the Road World Championships in Ponferrada. In the last Grand Tour of the year, Martens was an important domestiqye for the GC riders Wilco Kelderman and Robert Gesink but also finished in the top 10 on three stages. "Especially on the 3rd stage I surprised myself after I had previously ridden very much in the wind for leaders," said Martens who was fifth in Arcos de la Frontera.

Also at the Worlds, he handled his domestique duties for John Degenkolb excellently and stayed in the main group until the final lap where Pole Michal Kwiatkowski launched his winning attack.

In the upcoming season Martens again wants to be reliable domestique for his captains but also has the desire to ride for himself on cerain occassions. "My goals are mainly the Ardennes classics and a participation in the Tour de France. We are also discussing a start in Milan-Sanremo," he added.