Ahead of his move to Bahrain-Victorias this winter, Lenny Martinez spoke of his future goal of winning the Tour de France. [He has already won six races in his first two years as a professional, including CIC-Mont Ventoux and Trofeo Laigueglia. He is now set to move from Groupama-FDJ to Bahrain, where he hopes to continue his development into a top climber and Grand Tour contender.

Martinez, who has already competed in both the Vuelta a España and the Tour de France, told Le Monde newspaper that “the Tour is his ultimate career goal.”

“I will do a lot of preparation this winter, both on and off the bike, to achieve my goals,” he said, before adding, “I want to win the Tour.”

“To beat Tadej Pogachar, I have to take all the chances on my side,” he added about the team change.

Martinez's move to Bahrain comes after persistent rumors of a move from France's Groupama-FDJ. His three-year deal with Bahrain was announced shortly after the cycling transfer market opened in early August.

Despite this, Martinez said he would have liked to have stayed longer at Groupama and that he hoped his transfer from the team would come “much later.”

However, Martinez said he was “grateful” to the French team, his “unforgettable family,” for the important role they played in helping him get to this point, and at the same time reiterated that he “always said I wanted to go abroad.”

Martinez also said he could choose from several different teams after 2025. His salary will reportedly be 800,000 euros per year for the duration of his contract with Bahrain.

“There are a lot of expectations around me,” he said. It's rare in the cycling world.”

In an interview, Martinez also reflected on his 2024 campaign, which saw him win the Laigueglia, Classique Var, Classique Grand Besançon, Tour du Dubs, and Classique Alpes Maritimes in the first half of the season.

He also finished second in O Grand Camino and in the top 10 in Strade Bianche. At the Tour de France, he was even discussed for a second attempt at the Vuelta. In France, he finished 124th, and his best result was 11th in the closing time trial.

“It was a bit of a mixed bag, for better and for worse,” he said. Everything went wrong. My legs were not turning in training.”

“I wanted to participate in my first Tour de France with a French team. I was able to gain experience for the future,” he concluded, taking a positive approach to his first participation in a race he hopes to win someday.