Birmingham-born Irishman Dan Martin rides the Vuelta a Espana as he bids to bounce back from his Giro d’Italia disappointment and replicate cousin Nicolas Roche’s stage win and top-ten finish from last year.

A contender for stage wins in the mountains, and on the hilly stages – a winner at Liege-Bastogne-Liege in 2013, only a late crash denied him a second win this time out having earlier been on the podium at La Fleche Wallonne.

Third at the Tour de l’Ain as he bid to build up his form for the Vuelta, Martin appears to be approaching the sort of form which saw him burst into the limelight last season.

If he can replicate his form, he will be among the contenders in the mountains and will score points there as a result.

And he will certainly be a man to watch on the hillier stages, with last year’s Il Lombardia further proof of his ability in the Classics.

Mounting a challenge for the points jersey may be a tough ask, but Martin will certainly be scoring points and, with his rivals otherwise engaged, it could provide the opportunity for the Irishman to take advantage.