<p>Tony Martin has powered into the overall lead of Paris-Nice after taking a convincing individual time trial victory in the race's sixth stage, from Rognes to Aix-en-Provence.</p><p>
</p><p>
Already the fastest at the intermediate time check, the HTC-Highroad rider confirmed his domination of the 27 kilometer stage when he crossed the finish line with a 20 second advantage over Britain's Bradley Wiggins, with Richie Porte of Australia in third at 39 seconds.</p><p>
</p><p>
Whilst Martin averaged an impressive 48.5kmh average for the rolling course, young team-mate Tejay Van Garderen also turned in a very strong ride, finishing tenth on the stage 1-29 back.</p><p>
</p><p>
With two days racing remaining, the German National Time Trial Champion now leads with a 39 second advantage on former leader Andreas Klöden, with Bradley Wiggins third.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was a good course for me, not too technical and with really good roads, and I knew I could do well on it," Martin said later, "I started out full gas, saw I had a good advantage at the time check, and then tried to keep everything under control on the final climb."</p><p>
</p><p>
"Yesterday [Thursday] had been a hard ride through the mountains, and I didn't keep anything back for today, so it was tough going both days. There were no particular tactics, just going all out."</p><p>
</p><p>
Martin says he is optimistic about his chances in the two mountainous stages to come.</p><p>
"I'm confident I'll take the leader's jersey all the way to Nice, but in a race as nervous as this one you can never be too certain of anything."</p><p>
</p><p>
"It is a race I like, though two years ago I took the King of the Mountain's jersey here, and I've always thought I could maybe win it some time. I've got a good chance."</p><p>
</p><p>
"We could see from the start of today's stage Tony was going really strong and he kept it up right the way through," commented HTC-Highroad sports director Jan Schaffrath, "We weren't using time references, Tony had checked out the course around midday and he knew what he had to face."</p><p>
</p><p>
"He went full gas to the top of the one climb and then rode within himself to the finish."</p>
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</p><p>
Already the fastest at the intermediate time check, the HTC-Highroad rider confirmed his domination of the 27 kilometer stage when he crossed the finish line with a 20 second advantage over Britain's Bradley Wiggins, with Richie Porte of Australia in third at 39 seconds.</p><p>
</p><p>
Whilst Martin averaged an impressive 48.5kmh average for the rolling course, young team-mate Tejay Van Garderen also turned in a very strong ride, finishing tenth on the stage 1-29 back.</p><p>
</p><p>
With two days racing remaining, the German National Time Trial Champion now leads with a 39 second advantage on former leader Andreas Klöden, with Bradley Wiggins third.</p><p>
</p><p>
"It was a good course for me, not too technical and with really good roads, and I knew I could do well on it," Martin said later, "I started out full gas, saw I had a good advantage at the time check, and then tried to keep everything under control on the final climb."</p><p>
</p><p>
"Yesterday [Thursday] had been a hard ride through the mountains, and I didn't keep anything back for today, so it was tough going both days. There were no particular tactics, just going all out."</p><p>
</p><p>
Martin says he is optimistic about his chances in the two mountainous stages to come.</p><p>
"I'm confident I'll take the leader's jersey all the way to Nice, but in a race as nervous as this one you can never be too certain of anything."</p><p>
</p><p>
"It is a race I like, though two years ago I took the King of the Mountain's jersey here, and I've always thought I could maybe win it some time. I've got a good chance."</p><p>
</p><p>
"We could see from the start of today's stage Tony was going really strong and he kept it up right the way through," commented HTC-Highroad sports director Jan Schaffrath, "We weren't using time references, Tony had checked out the course around midday and he knew what he had to face."</p><p>
</p><p>
"He went full gas to the top of the one climb and then rode within himself to the finish."</p>
More...