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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
Nicolas Roche went agonisingly close to taking Ireland’s first Tour de France stage win since his father Stephen won in La Bourboule twenty years ago, being part of a breakaway move which was overhauled inside the final 100 metres of yesterday’s stage.
The Ag2r La Mondiale rider attacked on the final climb of the 215 kilometre stage from Blagnac to Brive la Gaillarde, bridging across to the remnants of a break which had gone clear much earlier. Roche was one of the strongest and put in several big turns which helped keep the group clear, but the peloton was closing down rapidly inside the final kilometre.
Roche made his move inside the final 500 metres, his effort drawing himself and the Spanish rider Luis Leon Sanchez (Rabobank) clear of the rest. Sanchez sat on Roche as the Ag2r La Mondiale rider opened up the sprint, then started to come past. However the prospect of a one-to-one gallop between the two was dashed when world champion Mark Cavendish tore out of the bunch and got by before the line.
Demoralised to miss out on his first stage win, Roche sat up but still finished fifth. He remains eleventh overall in the general classification and will ride as hard as possible in today’s time trial. Moving into the top ten is a goal but Roche knows it’s difficult due to the time gaps and with specialist Andreas Klöden just over a minute behind.
His first cousin Dan Martin rolled in 66th yesterday, and begins the time trial 35th overall.
Tour de France
Stage 18: Blagnac – Brive la Gaillarde:
1, Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling, 222 kilometres in 4 hours 54 mins 12 secs
2, Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
3, Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale
4, Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Rabobank Cycling Team
5, Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
6, Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Sharp
7, Borut Bozic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
8, Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
9, Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
10, Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, all same time
Other Irish:
66, Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp, at 16 seconds
General classification after stage 18:
1, Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling, 83 hours 22 mins 18 secs
2, Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling, at 2 mins 5 secs
3, Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale, at 2 mins 41
4, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team, at 5 mins 53
5, Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team, at 8 mins 30
6, Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team, at 9 mins 57
7, Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa) RadioShack-Nissan, at 10 mins 11
8, Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar, at 10 min 17
9, Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team, at 11 mins
10, Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat , at 11 mins 46
Other:
11, Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale at 12 mins 54
35, Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp, at 1 hour 20 mins 42
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