After another season of bad luck and crashes that ruled him out of contention in the Ardennes, Dan Martin is back to racing at full health at the Criterium du Dauphine, as he tells Cyclingnews.

"I went away, got in some training in the mountains and now I'm ready for this race. I've not been able to train super hard because of my ribs, so there's not been that much intensity but I think that everyone is in the same boat. It just means that I'm in a good position for the Tour. I don't know where I'm at in terms of power on the climbs but we'll find out later in this race."

He says that ever since the Giro last year, he has suffered a season from “hell”, with the only bright spots his wins in Lombardy and Beijing. But he has never lost faith in his ability through nthe tough times.

"The Ardennes finished off the year of hell off if you start with Belfast and the Giro last year. It's almost been a complete year of shit but I'm in the same position that I went into the Vuelta and Lombardia with. The results and form returned in spectacular fashion then, and obviously we're hoping for the same again this time."

"Mentally I'm strong character and I know that despite the results being what they are, I'm not a bad bike rider," he says. "If I have a clear run at things then I'm up there with the best guys. My time will come at some point this year.”

His main goal this year at the Tour, and he lined out how the team’s Tour tactics may look in July between Andrew Talansky, Martin and Ryder Hesjedal.

"I think Andrew will be the main GC guy and then Ryder and I will look for stage wins but you're not going to turn down a shot at GC. It's quite exciting going into a race like that with three guys capable of riding GC, especially with the first week being what it is. There's so many crosswind, dodgy stages, and it could be carnage again. Having options could play in our favour."