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First Races of the Season:
Philip Deignan: Tour of Murcia (3-7 March) / ???? Tour of Catalonia maybe?
Dan Martin: Tour Méditerranéen (10-14 Feb) / Tour du Haut Var (20-21 Feb)
Nicolas Roche: Etoile de Bessèges (3-7 Feb) / Tour Méditerranéen (10-14 Feb)
Nick Roche was the best placed AG2R rider yesterday at a very acceptable 23rd for his first day back in the office.
Any of the twitteratti got an idea of their major targets for the year?
Deignan's the only one who's stated any aims so far (to make Le Tour team). Apparently all 3 are racing the Vuelta Catalunya (or whatever its called). Deignan also riding Tour of California and Dauphine.
Here's some twitter links
http://twitter.com/PhilipDeignan
http://twitter.com/cervelotestteam
http://twitter.com/nicholasroche
Dan Martin doesn't have one but Garmin do
http://twitter.com/TGTProCycling
http://twitter.com/Vaughters
Other handy Irish cycling links
http://twitter.com/SSbike (Shane Stokes)
http://twitter.com/BikePure
http://twitter.com/AnPost_Cycling
In the current absence of that brilliant little button, "Thanks".
Roche was 34th today, 28th overall now, 20s back.
I forgot to mention that the Kelly team is performing well. Belgian Nico "Rambo" Eeckhout was second yesterday, third today, third overall on 10s. The rest of the team are doing ok. The Irish lads are on the same time as Roche.
107 Connor Mc Convey
117 Paidi O'Brien
Dan Martin was on a solo break today in the Tour du med. He was caught in the final kilometre. Roche rodes the same race
Martin wears the KOM jersey (first of many this year hopefully)
Great start to his year, looks like it only took him a day to find his pedalling feet!
Some impressive weekend results from an Irish perspective.
Mark Cassidy and newly declared Matt Brammeier both finished in the top 20 in the Beverbeek Classic on Saturday. Nick Roche took third in the GP Dell'Insurbria-Lugano against some quality riders. Still only warm up races, but there are a few good results starting to show. Phil Deignan starts his season this week.
Deignan rode yesterday. Can't remeber which race though
Roche third in today's shortened stage in Paris Nice. He started the break that won the race in the last 3 or 4 km. Exciting end to the stage today.
He was 6th 2 days ago too. Good to see him active
Wonder did dan martin crash again?
Dan MArtin was 54th, and safely in the main bunch that werre 6s behind. He remains 46th at 1m11 behind. Young Roche moves up to 21st @44s.
http://twitpic.com/17r1c9
Great pic of Roche o n the attack
Watched a bit of Paris Nice today. Contador just rode off the front of the peleton. Didn't look like he gave any great pucsh, just was too strong for everyone. Amazing to watch realy
ROche had a decent day. Now up to 15th overall
Roche another decent day, finished 8th, was the most likely to catch Sagan before the line up to about a KM to go. Not yet up to top 10 yet, but it is looking like a strong possibility.
Contador is a monster alright, and mad hungry to win it after last year's disappointment. Sagan has really been the revelation rider this season so far, but Roche's continuous development at Paris Nice is impressive.
Watched the end of it. Ag2R worked hard to split the peleton. Commentator kept talking about them setting it up for Roche to win stage but Kelly had to keep pointing out that Roche was actually drivig the split.
From Roche's twitter;
Quote:
Felt strong today, 8th on stage and now 13th on GC. My team were really really good today did a lot of work for me, thanks guys!!
That would explain that then - I only caught the last KM and a half. The Russian commentary I am getting over the internet is more excited than informative.
McCann is doing well in the Tour of Taiwan - won the first stage and has held yellow through yesterday, 11s clear at the mo. A crit, a hillocky circuit and what looks like a transitional type stage remain.
David McCann won the Tour de Taiwan. Well deserved too.
Just back from a couple of days away and delighted to hear that. Was there anything on RTÉ about it? It's not a huge race over here, but significant enough in the Asian Calendar.
Not really. I think I heard one mention of it on the radio. Usual pieces by Shane Stokes in the Irish Times and Tommy Whatsits in the Indo.
Phil Deignan and Nic Roche in this week's Vlta Catalunya. Shame Dan Martin is missing the race in which he finishes 2nd last year.
Also the Giro teams will be announced today. The head of organising committee has said that Radioshack won't be invited, to which they sid "well we didn't want an invite". Armstrong doing his usual petty tweets