Dan Martin, the 21-year-old Irish rider, has won the Route du Sud ? his first professional victory in his debut season.

The Slipstream rider, who was Britain's national junior road race champion in 2004, before opting to race for Ireland, defended the overall lead he gained at the end of Saturday's stage in the Pyrenees.

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Sports journalist Lionel Birnie has written professionally for Sunday Times, Procycling and of course Cycling Weekly. He is also an author, publisher, and co-founder of The Cycling Podcast. His first experience covering the Tour de France came in 1999, and he has presented The Cycling Podcast with Richard Moore and Daniel Friebe since 2013. He founded Peloton Publishing in 2010 and has ghostwritten and published the autobiography of Sean Kelly, as well as a number of other sports icons.