Pro Cycling (inc Tour de France) 2008

**Dodge** · 19/08/2008, 9:08 AM

RTE had live TV coverage last year. Might have the same this year (prticularly for the internet...)

Deignan and Roche are both missing it due to riding in the Vuelta I think. (Roche definitely is).

**Bluebeard** · 19/08/2008, 9:41 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

RTE had live TV coverage last year. Might have the same this year (prticularly for the internet...)

Deignan and Roche are both missing it due to riding in the Vuelta I think. (Roche definitely is).

Roche is down for Credit Agricole, but unfortunately, Deignan doesn't seem to be listed for AG2R's outline squad.

Any word on Roche's chances on a contract for next year? CA are leaving cycling, and the way things are, with possibly Gerolsteiner going out of business, and the Protour's minimum 25 rider clause likely to go with the Protour, it is going to be tight for places on a competitive team next year.

**Dodge** · 19/08/2008, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Any word on Roche's chances on a contract for next year? CA are leaving cycling, and the way things are, with possibly Gerolsteiner going out of business, and the Protour's minimum 25 rider clause likely to go with the Protour, it is going to be tight for places on a competitive team next year.

The flipside of that is that with no limit on top division teams, riding for so called second tier teams like Slipstream, Tinkoff (I know they're stepping up but...) isn't seen as a step back now

**Bluebeard** · 19/08/2008, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

The flipside of that is that with no limit on top division teams, riding for so called second tier teams like Slipstream, Tinkoff (I know they're stepping up but...) isn't seen as a step back now

True with that. Maybe he'll join one of the Irish teams.

Like LPR Brakes of CSF Navigiare

**Bluebeard** · 19/08/2008, 7:29 PM

Speak of the devil, Nicolas Roche won the first stage of the Tour du Limousin today with a break finishing just 3 seconds ahead of a bunch including Feillu and teammate Seb Hinault. He now figuratively wears the Yellow jersey, the Youths jersey and the combined jersey, with an 11 second lead thanks to time bonuses. He rated it as the finest win of his career.

Results on Cyclingnews.

Report on Irishcycling.com.

**Dodge** · 19/08/2008, 7:31 PM

He's certainly beat a good few previous race/stage winners there. Very promising. Looks like he was going for everything today too judging by sprints and mountians classifications

**Macy** · 20/08/2008, 9:14 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

RTE had live TV coverage last year. Might have the same this year (prticularly for the internet...)

Father in law had the flyer/ leaflet last night for the Tour. Only mention of RTE coverage was an hours highlights starting after 11 each night, mainly at 11.20. LoI style sure we'll put it on really late and it'll prove no one wants to watch it

**Dodge** · 20/08/2008, 9:18 AM

Drat...

**Bluebeard** · 20/08/2008, 4:08 PM

Roche second on the stage this evening - seemed to be a bunch sprint, based on the brief results on Cyclingnews.

Meanwhile some comment from him on yesterday's result (second section), also from Cyclingnews.

**deadman** · 21/08/2008, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

Roche is down for Credit Agricole, but unfortunately, Deignan doesn't seem to be listed for AG2R's outline squad.

Any word on Roche's chances on a contract for next year?

i hear Roche agreed a two year contract with AG2r yesterday ... joining up with deignan

**Bluebeard** · 21/08/2008, 8:19 AM

Originally Posted by deadman

i hear Roche agreed a two year contract with AG2r yesterday ... joining up with deignan

Good news! It's up on Cycling News now. Is Deignan contracted to AG2R for next year too? Hopefully so, and it'll be an advantage when they come to race in the World's next year.

On the downside, it really does seem that after years as various Peugeot teams, then GAN, and recently Credit Agricole, that venerable old team is going out of existence. I feel particularly sorry for Roger Legeay who's run them since 1996.

Meanwhile Dan Martin seems to be riding well in Portugal and only 5m38 down: with a small uphill finish today, hopefully he might put in a few seconds and scrape into the top ten.

**Macy** · 21/08/2008, 8:30 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebeard

On the downside, it really does seem that after years as various Peugeot teams, then GAN, and recently Credit Agricole, that venerable old team is going out of existence. I feel particularly sorry for Roger Legeay who's run them since 1996.

Not forgetting "Z" one of the classic garish tops.

Good news about Roche getting a decent team for the next couple of years.

**Dodge** · 21/08/2008, 8:39 AM

Aren't Ag2r won of the teams planning on scaling back next year. I think they said their sponsors won't to conctrate on French races. Roche has already said his main aim is to amke the tour (and compleete his grand tour set)

**Macy** · 21/08/2008, 9:16 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Aren't Ag2r won of the teams planning on scaling back next year. I think they said their sponsors won't to conctrate on French races. Roche has already said his main aim is to amke the tour (and compleete his grand tour set)

Cofidis were the team that announced during the tour they were going back to being a continental team from ProTour because of the sponsors, but Ag2r could've been the same as it seemed to be an issue in several teams. I would've thought they'd be okay for the Tour though?

**Dodge** · 21/08/2008, 9:21 AM

Oh yeh, they definitely should be OK for the tour. And I'd imagine they'd still have a fairly full European schedule. Teh fact they don't have a superstar would help Roche too, as if he's finishing races as strongly as he is now, he'd have enough chances to win.

**Dodge** · 21/08/2008, 11:06 PM

Roche had a bad day today. Ending up 30 minutes behind leading group. He's still 6th in points competition

Martin finished 7th on another mountain stage in Portugal. He's still 11th overall

**Bluebeard** · 22/08/2008, 11:34 AM

AG2R have provisionally named Deignan in their lineup for the Deutschland Tour.

**Dodge** · 22/08/2008, 5:52 PM

http://www.volta-portugal.com/classifica.html

Tour of Portugal results above if you can't wait for cyclingnews.

Martin 10th in another mountain stage, still 11th overall though. Still leading the young rider classification

**Bluebeard** · 24/08/2008, 7:44 PM

Tiago Machado managed to evade Dan Martin today and got up enough time to pip him to 9th on GC and the Youth Jersey by 7 seconds.

10th in Portugal is a great result for him all the same, he was the top rider for Garmin, the only non-Iberian in the top 10, and managed to keep with it in a fairly tough 10 stage race. This, coupled with him completing the Tours of Ireland and Britain, which he should do, will give him 23 stages racing in just over a month, so he should be considerable as a potential starter for a Grand tour with Garmin next year, should they get an invite. Vaughters rates him, but didn't think he was ready yet for the Tour. Fingers crossed for 2009!