Tony Hans-Joachim Martin (born 23 April 1985) is a German former professional road bicycle racer. Martin was known as a time trial specialist, and is a four-time world champion in the discipline – having won the title in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016 – which is joint-most with Fabian Cancellara. He also won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, finishing runner-up to Bradley Wiggins in the event. Martin was also part of four world championship-winning team time trial squads, with /, in 2012, 2013 and 2016, and with Germany in the mixed relay time-trial in 2021.
Martin won seven Grand Tour stages, including five individual time trial stages – three at the Tour de France in 2011, 2013 and 2014, and two at the Vuelta a España in 2011 and in 2014. In the mid-part of his career Martin was a successful stage racer, winning the Eneco Tour (2010), Paris–Nice (2011) and the first two editions of the Tour of Beijing in 2011 and 2012. In the latter part of his career he became a super-domestique and road captain at .
Early life
Born in Cottbus, East Germany, Martin and the rest of his family escaped from East Germany shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communist Eastern Europe. Later, he returned to the Eastern part of Germany to attend sport school in Erfurt.
Career
Team High Road (2008–11)
2008
Having turned professional for the 2008 season, Martin took four victories during the year – he won the Hel van het Mergelland one-day race, as well as time trial stages at the Ster Elektrotoer, the Tour de l'Ain, and the Deutschland Tour. He also placed second to his teammate Marco Pinotti on the final time trial stage of the Giro d'Italia – his first start in a Grand Tour – and finished seventh in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships.
2009
In 2009, Martin won time trials in the Critérium International, and the Bayern Rundfahrt. He also featured strongly in week-long stage races, winning the mountain classifications at Paris–Nice, and the Tour de Suisse, finishing second overall and winning a stage in the latter. Martin also made an impact at the Tour de France, wearing the white jersey as leader of the young rider classification for twelve days (between stages 3 and 14), and winning the combativity award after finishing second on Stage 20 at the top of Mont Ventoux. He took the bronze medal in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships at the end of the season.
2010
Martin enjoyed more success in time trials in 2010, winning his first national championship title as well as stages in the Tour of California, and the Tour de Suisse. Martin finished second in the prologue and the Stage 19 individual time trial – behind Fabian Cancellara on both occasions – of the Tour de France, and again wore the white jersey as leader of the young rider classification on stages 1 to 3. Following the Tour de France, Martin finished first overall in the Eneco Tour, as well as the seventh stage time trial and the young rider classification. Martin again took the bronze medal at the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships.
2011
2011 saw Martin claim overall victories in the Volta ao Algarve, and Paris–Nice, having won time trials in both events. He also finished second overall in the Tour de Romandie, and won the time trial in the Critérium du Dauphiné. Martin won his first Grand Tour stage by taking victory in the Stage 20 individual time trial of the Tour de France. He also won the stage 10 time trial in the Vuelta a España. In September, Martin won the gold medal in the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. He then won the opening time trial of the inaugural Tour of Beijing, and held the race lead for the rest of the event to claim overall victory.
Omega Pharma–Quick-Step (2012–16) Following the announcement that would fold at the end of 2011, Martin signed with for the 2012 season.
2012
Martin began 2012 with second overall in the Volta ao Algarve, finishing second to Bradley Wiggins by less than a second in the final time trial. In April, Martin lost consciousness after colliding with a car during training and sustained injuries, wrecking his early season. Martin returned to action at the Tour of Belgium in May, winning the time trial on Stage 4 and taking the overall victory.