Martin to skip Olympic time-trial to focus on worlds

Brussels - German cyclist Tony Martin is to skip the Olympics in Tokyo next year to focus on the world championships, the time-trial specialist told broadcaster MDR on Thursday.

The four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic silver medallist told the German radio station that he had made the decision after being told the Olympic time-trial course was "extremely difficult".

"My manager went over there," he said. "He described the course as extremely difficult.

"I am going to concentrate 100 percent on the world championships."

The 34-year-old won the championships in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016.

He helped his Team Jumbo Visma win the team time trial on stage two of this year's Tour de France. At this year's world championships in Harrogate, he won silver in the mixed team time trial and finished ninth in the individual time trial.

The Olympic time-trial takes place on July 29 with the world championships on September 20.