Cycling 2010

**Dodge** · 23/07/2010, 9:17 AM

Yeah, its a strange one for Roche. Could he get to the level of challenging for Giro or Vuelta? Maybe Vuelta as the climbs are a little too steep for him in the Giro I'd guess. In the alst 3 years he's had 3 Grand Tours and finished 13th (08 Vuelta), 23rd (09 Tour) and now probably 15th in this tour. Thats a fine record and although he's still young, its such a huge step to be regularly in the top 10 in grand tours.

I also think he needs to start winning other races. I thought this would be the route he'd take. Become a Gilbert or Bettini type who can climb OK, but makes his mark in the Classics and picks up stages when the roads suit him. If he's out of contract this year it'll be interesting to see how things go. he's only been with Ag2r for a couple of eyars so I doubt he's very attached to them and the Gadret thing might influence him. Regardless he'll be a fairly hot property and plenty of teams will be looking for his services.

**Mr A** · 26/07/2010, 11:16 AM

Both him and Gadret are contracted to AG2R for next season. Really enjoyed the Tour again this past few years, the bit of Irish interest in it makes all the difference.

**Dodge** · 26/07/2010, 11:32 AM

Yeah, and it seems most Irish fans thought the same as there was an unreal amount of Irish tricolours in the mountain stages

Interesting point was made about Roche's 15th place. its worth 16 UCI world ranking points, which is less than the 20 points he'd get if he finsihed 8th in the Tour Down Under. He also earned €2,000 for his team. Overall the team earned somethign like €49k which works out at abouit €4,900 per rider. Thats a hard earned 5k!

**Mr A** · 26/07/2010, 5:06 PM

Roche has extended his stay with AG2R: http://www.rte.ie/sport/cycling/2010/0726/rochen.html

**Stuttgart88** · 05/08/2010, 8:48 PM

Stage win and overall lead by 20 secs for Dan Martin in the Tour of Poland.

**Dodge** · 05/08/2010, 9:04 PM

Best bits of the stage in Dutch. Unbelievable acceleration

**Macy** · 06/08/2010, 7:21 AM

And the report from cyclingnews... http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tou...tage-5/results

**Dodge** · 07/08/2010, 4:49 PM

Martin wins the overall! Terrific result and first pro tour win for Ireland

**Dodge** · 09/08/2010, 5:41 PM

Great article on martin here

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/...es-tour_134000

**Stuttgart88** · 09/08/2010, 10:43 PM

Thanks.

Eurosport was very funny on Saturday. His dad Neil was the co-commentator. The main commentator was saying that it was a great result for IRL but surely he (the commentator) as a Brit could at least bask in some of the glory. It was all very well intended and very magnanimous, and actually he did have a point.

(Do not merge with Player Eligibility thread!)

**Dodge** · 09/08/2010, 11:23 PM

His dad wasn't co-commentator. Some Scottish guy (who's name escapes me atm) was. The funny part of that was he said "when was the lasst time an irish or Engllish cyclist won a tour this big, was it Robert Miller?" Miller, of course, being Scottish

And yeah, he wasn't tring to be controversial

**Billsthoughts** · 17/08/2010, 7:52 PM

http://www.youtube.com/user/worldcyc.../0/54pkrR0Zfow
dan martins latest
in italian

**Dodge** · 17/08/2010, 9:30 PM

Thats a fabulous win by Martin. beating some really high calibre lads.

**Mr A** · 17/08/2010, 10:13 PM

Report: http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tre...e-1-hc/results

**Dodge** · 17/08/2010, 11:29 PM

BTW for those who don't know, Roche and Deignan have been confirmed for the Vuelta (making it the 7th Grand Tour in a row with Irish representation) and the 2nd Vuelta with 2 Irishmen in it

The UCI have confirmed that Ireland will have 3 riders at the World Championships too (same as GB)

Young Irish sprinter Sam bennett i scurrently riding as a stagaire witht he FDJ team. He's yet to feature but its still a great achievement for him

**Mr A** · 18/08/2010, 12:42 PM

Martin to ride the Tour of Britain: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dan-...our-of-britain

**Dodge** · 18/08/2010, 12:51 PM

Yeah he said similar in today's IT. Using it as a arm up for the Giro Lambardio

**Billsthoughts** · 18/08/2010, 8:26 PM

is it a sprinters world champs my mate was sayin today?
does anyone think roche has a good chance in the vuelta of challenging or is that wishful thinking? me spanish mate was sayin vuelta has a lot of dud riders/riders coastin at end of season...was in seville a couple of weeks back...can see why they are starting it at nite! scorchio!
great times at the mo for irish cycling
on another note I didnt see much in the sunday papers about either roche in tour or martin winning the tour of pologne. seems to be a bit of anti doping snobbery...altho lots on swimming silver medal despite the "problems" in that sport.

**Dodge** · 18/08/2010, 8:57 PM

Sundays are the worst of Irish journalism IMO. Completely skewed towards a certain section of Dublin society. The ones who went to schools with swimming pools co-incidently

Shane Stokes writes in the Irish Times and always manages to get a bit of news in. Roche also had his tour diary in the Indo.

I think Roche concentrated on his tour so mcuh that he mightn'thave the energy to sustain another top ten GC. but he could be freed up for stage wins.

Frank Schleck has said this is his main goal of the year and Roche won't be able to live with him (supported by Andy) in the mountains.

Cavendish was planning for World Championships so I presume tht'd be a sprinters course. He was hoping to get a big GB team there and with only 3 he's unlikely to have to many working for him. I'd hope all 3 f our protour lads take our spots

**Macy** · 19/08/2010, 9:51 AM

My reading in recent weeks is that the Worlds might not be as much a sprinters course as was initially thought, with a couple of hard enough climbs towards the end. I guess Cavendish has won San Remo, so that doesn't necessarily rule him out, but could play into either of the cousins if it comes down to a smaller group without the sprinters.