Escape day two for Martin

Tony Martin (Columbia-Highroad)

Tony Martin (Columbia-Highroad) (Image credit: JF Quenet)

Team Columbia-Highroad's young German hope Tony Martin may have been beaten by his French companions in Thursday's Paris-Nice stage, but as a consolation he moved into the lead in the mountains classification thanks to the day's seven categorised climbs including the category one Col de Benas. His 190km breakaway is made more impressive by the fact that he spent the better part of yesterday's stage four in the winning move.

Based in the southeastern United States, Peter produces race coverage for all disciplines, edits news and writes features. The New Jersey native has 30 years of road racing and cyclo-cross experience, starting in the early 1980s as a Junior in the days of toe clips and leather hairnets. Over the years he's had the good fortune to race throughout the United States and has competed in national championships for both road and 'cross in the Junior and Masters categories. The passion for cycling started young, as before he switched to the road Peter's mission in life was catching big air on his BMX bike.