Dan Martin is daring to dream as he embarks on his seventh career Tour de France.
The Irishman has recorded three top 10 finishes in a row in cycling's biggest race, and though he did not explicitly state the yellow jersey is his goal this July, he sees no limit as to how far he might go this time around on a mountainous course.
"This is the first year I've really trained specifically for the Tour de France," the 32-year-old said. "Since December we've been talking about it and I've made it the focus.
"I'm in really good condition at the moment and hopefully we can get to the mountains in the same condition.
"I don't really know what's possible. At the start-line last year nobody would have said 'G' (Geraint Thomas) was going to win the Tour, but if everything goes your way anything can happen."
A course which features four climbs at altitudes of more than 2,000 metres will climax with three brutal days in the Alps, the sort of route which Martin expects to suit an opportunist like him.
"With the design of the race this year it's always building towards being a more open race," he said.
"With the time trial before the mountains, previously it's always been a bit of a stalemate because riders are waiting for the time trial, but now the pure climbers will know they can make up time in the mountains. It's the hardest Tour we've seen in our careers.
"The last week seems a long way away now but we will see fireworks. A lot of us will just be trying to get to the finish line."
Martin won stage six of last year's Tour on his way to an eighth-placed finish, but has undergone a life change since after his wife gave birth to twins in September.
And the Birmingham-born rider, who has a reputation for being among the most relaxed of the general classification hopefuls, said that had given him an even more chilled-out approach to the race.
"It's been an amazing trip and it gives you a lot of perspective," Martin said. "I think I'm incredibly relaxed at the Tour. All I can do is my best and I'll still have those little sets of eyes and my wife to see me when I get done and I'll be happy.
"I'm just looking forward to seeing them in Paris, and hopefully they can see me near the top of that general classification."
