Can any more be said of the efforts of Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) at this year’s Tour de France?

Der Panzerwagen has taken every available opportunity to show himself at this year’s Tour, following on from a great season to date.

The German won a solo stage at the Tour of the Basque Country, won the Baloise Belgium Tour and spent the entire Tour de Suisse in the leader’s jersey only to be pipped to the title on the final day.

And having taken the first road stage success of his Tour de France career, Martin has continued to show why he is rated so highly since.

His efforts pulling on the front of the bunch, setting a ferocious pace in the final few kilometres, show what could have been for the team had Mark Cavendish stayed fit.

And he was at it again on stage 15, adapting the team’s approach by making a solo dig off the front to disrupt the chase as Mark Renshaw bid for his first win of this year’s race.

It did not work out on this occasion, but the German will undoubtedly be back to the fore whenever the opportunity is there in the final week.