Pro Cycling (inc Tour de France) 2008

**Bluebeard** · 12/09/2008, 11:01 AM

Roche lost 3m23 yeaterday finishing 57th. He slips to 23rd overall 12m37 down.

Rest day today. Nothing that would particularly suit Roche until Tuesday or Wednesday. Hopefully he'll make it through the next couple of days in the mountains without too much agony, and snatch a win then.

**Dodge** · 12/09/2008, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Roche lost 3m23 yeaterday finishing 57th. He slips to 23rd overall 12m37 down

Did you see the highlights? very strange day. A split in the pack happened out of nowhere really. Valverde was in the 2nd bunch and Astana and Euskadel powered on, almost team time trailling it to the finish. valverde was left on his own as his team couldn't keep up with him and the gap just kept growing and growing

**Macy** · 12/09/2008, 11:17 AM

Didn't see the highlights, but was it as good as when Astana (albeit a different version) did for Moreau last year? Valverde seemed to be having a bit of go, saying he went back for a rain jacket and then got caught the wrong side of the split...

**Dodge** · 12/09/2008, 11:24 AM

No, wasn't anything underhand IMO. There was a break away and Astana and Euskadel's tempo just sort of pulled them away. Obviously those towards the back weren't expecting it to hapepn like that. Caisse d'Epargne had absolutely no help and it took a while for them to realise what was going on

**Macy** · 12/09/2008, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

No, wasn't anything underhand IMO.

Maybe being harsh on him tbh, but you'd think have enough cop on to stay near the front and send someone else back. That's what the domestiques are for ffs.

**Bluebeard** · 12/09/2008, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

Maybe being harsh on him tbh, but you'd think have enough cop on to stay near the front and send someone else back. That's what the domestiques are for ffs.

I'd have to agree, based on what I heard - didn't see the highlights. Going to the back for a cape when you are in the running for the race - silly, and probably why a lot of people think that he'll never win a Grand Tour. Then going on a counter-attack by himself without the support of the team. And Caisse d'Espargne have some quality cyclists.

I think that the directeur sportif has got to take some of the blame. Back in the Tour, Pereiro was off on a potentially great escape, and then got called back to help Valverde, who lost a load of time that day. Poor work from the management then as now.

**Bluebeard** · 12/09/2008, 4:37 PM

Dan Martin up to 3rd in the Tour Of Britain tonight, 14 seconds behind leader Geoffroy Lequatre (Agritubel) and 8 behind Steve Cummings (Barloworld). Scotland tomorrow - a couple of decent climbs. A good break tomorrow could be the winning of it, as Sunday's stage is almost the perfect bunch sprint set up finish in a city that a certain young man could consider the nearest one to home, should he have been in the race.

**Dodge** · 12/09/2008, 4:51 PM

BTW on the Valverde thing, Team mate Oscar Pereiro's comment;
"A man of his category and experience should not lose the Vuelta on a stage like this. Once again, a stage race slips through his fingers because of a crappy mistake,"

**Bluebeard** · 13/09/2008, 8:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

BTW on the Valverde thing, Team mate Oscar Pereiro's comment;
"A man of his category and experience should not lose the Vuelta on a stage like this. Once again, a stage race slips through his fingers because of a crappy mistake,"

Former tour winner relegated to super super domestique. I wonder when his contract is up...

**Bluebeard** · 18/09/2008, 8:16 AM

Roche was 16th yesterday and still 17th in the Vuelta - today and tomorrow are his last realistic chances to win a stage, I reckon.

Phil Deignan is 110th in the tour of Poland, but a grand total of 28 seconds back - not a particularly suitable tour for him though.

**Bluebeard** · 18/09/2008, 2:46 PM

Big break in the Vuelta today, Roche the highest placed in it and it's likely to stay away. Unfortunately Bettini and Van Aermaet are also in the break, but Roche does at least have a team mate, and currently, with the break over 8 m clear, Roche has broken into the top 12!

**Real ale Madrid** · 18/09/2008, 3:54 PM

Came home from work early today - caught the last 5 mins of the stage on local TV - Roche was only just edged out on the line into second by the Spanaird Imanol Erivti. Great performance from him. Up to about 12th overall i think!

**Bluebeard** · 18/09/2008, 4:06 PM

Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

Came home from work early today - caught the last 5 mins of the stage on local TV - Roche was only just edged out on the line into second by the Spanaird Imanol Erivti. Great performance from him. Up to about 12th overall i think!

Just heard - was called out at the precisely wrong moment. I heard it was the tiniest of margins. Hopefully he might go one better tomorrow and win one, though I'd say the likes of Gerolsteiner in particular, and also Cofidis will be marking him tight tomorrow to preserve their 9th and 10th place.

EDIT: Just got the GC for the day - he's 13th - 51s off 11th place, 1m 42 off 10th. It's unlikely he'll be let get that back, sadly.

However, he's also up to 11th on the points table 4 points behind Mosquera in 10th and 6 behind Rodriguez and Zabel in 8th - if Bettini retires tomorrow for the extra couple of day's prep for the World's as he was expected to do today, and Roche has another good day tomorrow, he could shoot well into the top 10 there!

13th would be an amazing result for a young pro in a grand tour.

**sorbothegreek** · 19/09/2008, 9:12 AM

Don't want to sound overly nostalgic but I have to say that after watching highlights of yesterday's stage, it was like a throw back to �the good ol� days�. I don�t think it�s a coincidence that Daniel Martins arrival on the scene has coincided with Roche�s improvement. Hopefully the two of them can drive each other on in the years to come a la Kelly & Stephen. He�s definitely got a classic win in him in the next couple of years.

**Bluebeard** · 22/09/2008, 8:35 AM

Roche finished 13th in the end, only 6 or 7 seconds down on 12th. His team mate Seba Hinault has said that Roche is a man for the grand tours. He's moving to AG2R next season too, and based on what we saw in the Tour Du Limosin and the Vuelta, it seems as though they work well together.

**Bluebeard** · 22/09/2008, 11:55 AM

Deignan has signed for the new Cevelo Test Team with Lloyd & Freeman from An Post, following Hushovd and Sastre, and a few other notables. So, Roche will not be hooking up with his fellow Irishman at AG2R after all.

**Dodge** · 22/09/2008, 12:05 PM

Good move for Deignan. Sastre signing with them probably guarantees a tour spot for the team. Roche's magnificent performance in the Vuelta will probably make him an automatic starter for Ag2r too.

The World Championship team has been selected. Dan martin goes in the u23 event as he'd have a chance at medalling (although the course isn't very hilly). The elite RR team is Deignan, Roche and Roger Aiken.

**Bluebeard** · 24/09/2008, 2:02 PM

Neben (US) wins the Women's Time Trial World Championship. Best placed Irish was Olivia Dillon at 39th.

Of course, Neben's great World Championships win will be overshadowed by the same someone who had to spoil Contador's Vuelta moment...

**Dodge** · 09/10/2008, 4:37 PM

In a brutal week for cycling, good news for Dan Martin with Garmin becoming a ProTour team. With the likelihood that Phil Deignan's (and more importantly Carlos Sastre's) new team also receiving Pro Tour status, it will mean 3 Irish cyclists with protour status next year.