Roche piece after Milan San Remo: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30118771.html
Dan Martin opens his defence of his Tour of Catalunya title today. http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...ways-suits-me/
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Roche piece after Milan San Remo: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30118771.html
Dan Martin opens his defence of his Tour of Catalunya title today. http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...ways-suits-me/
Not a great week. Martin has made little impression in Catalunya while Bennett did not finish Dwars door Vlaanderen. Bennett is in Gent Wevelgem tomorrow- I think the race may suit him but he's mixing with the very best in this one.
Bennett finished 12th. I think he was involved in a late crash so that's an OK result.
Edit: report here: http://www.stickybottle.com/races-re...elgem-classic/ Bennett didn't go down but lots of his team did.
Meanwhile Deignan is back- http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...-crucial-test/
Martin finished 16th overall in Catalunya.
Missed the fact that Bennett rode the Tour of Flanders, don't think he was listed when I checked the start list last week. http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...-away-from-me/
Pulled out with stomach issues. Will ride Scheldeprijs and Paris-Roubaix. Fabulous experience for him and great to have Irishmen on the start line of the monuments especially.
He's been listed as team leader too for most of his races. Big sign of their confidence in him
Deignan had to pull out of Tour of Basque Country. Poxy start to his season
Bennett 5th at Scheldeprijs! Superb performance.
Edit: video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6VCkW3SiOE
Report: http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news...-scheldeprijs/
Roche on the Giro etc.: http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...-do-something/
Bennett on Scheldeprijs http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...more-big-wins/
Like his attitude and ambition.
Bennett finished in the last group, almost half an hour down. But still, he finished Paris-Roubaix, which is a hell of a thing in itself.
Looking forward to the Ardennes classics now. Hopefully Martin is closer to his best than yet seen this year and I've a feeling Roche will be in fine fettle.
Sam Bennett wins Rund um Köln
Edit: found video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SClpUCwwOBE
Not a massive race, but winning races in Germany for a German team is a big deal.
Report and interview with Bennett: http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...in-the-sprint/
Dan Martin takes 2nd at La Fleche Wallonne, Valverde wins. I thought Roche was going to do these races but he has not appeared.
Meanwhile Deignan is with Sky at Trentino.
Thats a good result for Martin considering he neing quiet till now!
Well that was crushing. Martin second going into final corner and with all the momentum.. and slips out and goes down. Could have won it, would certainly have placed highly.
Very cruel.
watch it live - cruel - hope he alright for the giro!
Michael Barry has a new book out tomorrow on Kindle - its pre-ordered. Can't wait to read about Sky's marginal gains methods!
Kimmage had a bit to say about it on Radio One recently, it seems he has read it or at least knows about contents.. mentioned also that he respects Armstrong more than Rogers. Should be an interesting one!
Roche does Romandie this week as he continues his Giro build-up. Hopefully will show a bit of form. He was originally slated to do the Ardennes races but Tinkoff didn't field him there.
Bit from CN: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/roch...xo-at-romandie
Edit: Came across a piece from a few weeks ago that to some extent explains the schedule changes: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored...o-ditalia.html
Roche Writes from Romandie: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30230128.html
Will add these in through the week.
Lost 4 secs today - now 24secs behind but up to 33rd place
Stage 1 diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30234359.html
Good ambition trying to catch Nibali on a descent!
Stage 2 diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30237460.html
Going off the front without meaning to. Nice one.
Interview with Martin ahead of the Giro: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...ideo-interview
I'm hearing that there's a good bit of promotion around Dublin but in general the lack of hype about the Giro coming here has been abysmal compared to the efforts made by Tourism NI.
Still, looking forward to heading up for the stage finishing in Dublin- any of the rest of you going to it?
Only see the top ten from Romandie Queen Stage so far and Roche isn't there :(
Not a good day for Roche, finished way back at almost 6 minutes. http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/spil...majka-crashed/
Deignan interview: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/o...an-267370.html
Roche Diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30240740.html
Roche just doesn't seem to have it - why is he carry extra weight a week before the giro?
Because his season isn't set around the giro? I doubt he'd do it if it wasn't visiting IrelandQuote:
Originally Posted by swinfordfc
No - your right - he did say that the only reason he is doing the giro cause it's start in Ireland this year - but why have a right crack at it if your going to go through 3 weeks of pain like - it's better to be in top 5 of giro than a top 20 in Le Tour!Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
I think he has aimed to peak for the Giro but it hasn't quite come off for him. Maybe he'll improve as the race progresses. Currently it looks like Majika could be Tinkoff's main man.
Last diary from Romandie: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30243835.html
Bennett will lead Netapp at the sprint heavy Five Day Four Days of Dunkirk this week. http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news...-de-dunkerque/
Long Martin piece: http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/othe...rget-1.1783400 Martin also feels he's not in peak shape this year.
Lineups for the teams with Irish riders:
Garmin Sharp
91 Ryder Hesjedal (Can)
92 Andre Fernando S Martins Cardoso (Por)
93 Thomas Dekker (Ned)
94 Tyler Farrar (USA)
95 Koldo Fernandez De Larrea (Spa)
96 Nathan Haas (Aus)
97 Daniel Martin (Irl)
98 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned)
99 Fabian Wegmann (Ger)
Team Sky
191 Dario Cataldo (Ita)
192 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor)
193 Philip Deignan (Irl)
194 Bernhard Eisel (Aut)
195 Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col)
196 Chris Sutton (GBr)
197 Salvatore Puccio (Ita)
198 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr)
199 Ben Swift (GBr)
Tinkoff-Saxo
201 Nicolas Roche (Irl)
Rafal Majka, Nicolas Roche, Michael Rogers, Chris Anker Sřrensen, Pawel Poljanski, Evgeny Petrov, Ivan Rovny, Jay McCarthy and Christopher Juul-Jensen.
A bunch of changes for Tinkoff and indeed other teams due to slow processing of visas by the UK.
INRNG preview: http://inrng.com/2014/05/who-will-win-the-giro-2014/
Piece on Deignan: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30250515.html
Edit: Bennett 5th on stage 1 http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/4-j...tage-1/results Team report: http://www.netapp-endura.com/en/news...ys-of-dunkirk/
Guardian interview with Dan Martin
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/201...n-giro-ditalia
Roche's Giro Diary has started already: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30254969.html
Philip Deignan has been made team leader of Sky for the Giro after Peter Kennaugh's last-minute withdrawal.
Dan Martin down with what looks like a collar bone break :(
Disaster. I think everyone feels devastated for Dan. Looking good for Deignan and Roche.
Just saw the video. Freak crash. Devastated for Dan.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/27353152
Deignan diary on Stick0y Bottle: http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-n...n-all-my-life/
Roche Diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30261882.html
This was on the BBC website today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-27354787
Unreal.
Roche Diary: http://www.independent.ie/sport/othe...-30265165.html
Deignan Diary: http://www.stickybottle.com/races-re...d-in-my-mouth/
Took a spin up to Dublin yesterday and watched the race go by at Clontarf. A long way to go for about 8 seconds worth of seeing the race. Had a wander around the finish area later as well. Serious crowds out for it, impressive considering the premiership was finishing at the same time.
Roche said in Twitter that the Irish are best fans in the world, but where are they for the local club events, eh?
Anyway, Martin in Dublin for surgery. Deignan, who has had two similar injuries, is upbeat about Martin's prospects saying he won't lose too much fitness
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/o...in-268250.html
But at the same time, surely Martin would also be looking to gain fitness for france from competing in the Giro.