Riding the three-week Tour de France may not be the best preparation for the Olympics, but Martin has been eying up these Games all year, particularly given the hilly course that awaits the riders in Rio. His ninth place finish overall in the tour also suggests a rider in form, and along with cousin Nicholas Roche, will use the experience of the London Olympics to make the most of the opportunity. The Rio course, covering 256.4km, takes in the Grumari circuit three times during the race, which contains the 1.2km, 7 per cent average gradient Grumari climb, and the 2.1km Grota Funda which averages 4.5 per cent.