Cycling-Former mountain bike Olympic champion Martinez back on the road

France's mountain biking Olympic champion Miguel Martinez is set to resume his career on the road at the age of 44 after signing a six-month contract with the Amore e Vita team following a 12-year hiatus. "It's a six-month renewable contract," Martinez, who won the gold medal in the cross-country mountain biking event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, told sports daily L'Equipe on Saturday.

"It's not paid but passion is more important than money." Martinez had a taste of road cycling when he finished 44th in the 2002 Tour de France with Mapei and when he rode for Phonak in 2003 and Amore e Vita in 2008 before ending his career.