Lenny Martinez shone in the Auvergne mountains. He seized the polka dot jersey after a masterful breakaway where he fought for the mountain classification.
This Monday, July 14th, Bastille Day, the Tour de France features its first venture into the high mountains over 165.3 km between Ennezat and Le Mont-Dore – Puy de Sancy. The route, demanding with more than 4,450 meters of elevation gain, includes seven 2nd category passes and one 3rd category, including the daunting Côte de Charade (5.1 km at 6.8%) and the final ascent to the Puy de Sancy, featuring a section over 12%.
A group of breakaway riders formed early in the day, comprising 29 riders, including confirmed climbers such as Ben Healy, Simon Yates… and the Cannes native Lenny Martinez, lying in wait for the polka dot jersey.
Lenny Martinez, the king of the mountains
At the summits of the first high passes of this 2025 edition, Martinez takes the lead. The young athlete from Bahrain Victorious not only animated the stage but has definitively taken control of the mountain classification, after dominating all the intermediate KOM (King of the Mountain) points.
With this polka dot jersey, Lenny Martinez sets himself a new objective in this 2025 Tour de France, already being more than an hour behind in the general classification. A newfound role as the public’s favorite that he will surely embrace in the days to come.
Today’s stage was marked by a spectacular finish at the summit of Puy de Sancy. Lenny Martinez struggled at the end of the stage.
