Tony Martin joins Team LottoNL-Jumbo on two-year deal

Tony Martin, four times a winner of the time trial world championship, is to join Team LottoNL-Jumbo for next season, with one of his tasks set to be supporting the team’s GC contenders in team time trials at Grand Tours.

The 33-year-old German joins the Dutch UCI WorldTour team on a two-year contract after two seasons at Katusha-Alpecin. Previously he spent five years at Etixx-Quick Step, which he joined after five seasons with HTC-Highroad.

Team manager Richard Plugge said: "Tony is the missing link we were still looking for. He brings a cartload of experience and is a top professional.

“He can be of great value in the support of our team leaders. That he has chosen us is a nice confirmation of the development we have undergone in recent years.

Martin said: "I am looking forward to working with Team LottoNL-Jumbo. I share their vision. The riders are united and the staff leave nothing to chance in their guidance.

“The approach to time trial riding also appeals to me. I want to become an important team player by helping the leaders and having success in time trials.”

During the current transfer season, the team has previously announced that Laurens De Plus, Lennard Hofstede, Mike Teunissen, Taco van der Hoorn and Jonas Vingegaard will be joining the team, while Enrico Battaglin, Lars Boom, Bram Tankink, Gijs Van Hoecke and Robert Wagner, will be departing.

Besides his four rainbow jerseys in the time trial, the last of those coming in 2016, he has won three stages at the Tour de France and two at the Vuelta, while he his other victories include Paris-Nice in 2011.

He has found success harder to come by at Katusha-Alpecin, his sole victories in the colours of the Swiss team coming in the shape of his sixth and seventh German national time trial titles.