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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
Sagan takes another, Roche remains fifth in Tour de Suisse
By Shane Stokes
12 Jun 2012,
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Nicolas Roche rode solidly on today’s fourth stage of the Tour de Suisse, remaining with the main bunch while many riders lost time due to the tough climbs prior to the flatter run-in towards the finish. A reduced peloton of 56 riders reached the finish together in Trimbach/Olten, and there stages one and three victor Peter Sagan made it three wins in four days.
He outsprinted Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Movistar Team), Michael Albasini (Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team) plus the rest of that group to the line. Roche rolled in 23rd place, content to save his energy for the tougher stages to come.
Earlier on, a nine man group slipped clear on the main climb of the stage, the Scheltenpass. Present were the Swiss riders Martin Kohler (BMC Racing) and Grégory Rast (RadioShack-Nissan), plus Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Sébastien Minard (AG2R La Mondiale), Sergio Paulinho (Saxo Bank), Javier Megias (Team Type 1-Sanofi), Brian Vandborg (Spidertech p/b C10), Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and Mathew Hayman (Team Sky).
Cataldo was best placed overall and was in the virtual race lead as the gap grew to a maximum of three minutes. He then attacked on the finish circuit, but was caught and dropped by Lars Petter Nordhaug (Team Sky). Martin Elmiger (AG2R La Mondiale) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) raced hard and eventually reeled in Nordhaug, who joined forces with them to try to stay clear.
However the trio were caught with three kilometres to go, paving the way for a big sprint and Sagan’s third win of the race.
The general classification is unchanged and Roche thus remains an excellent fifth overall. He is just six seconds off the podium and 21 away from the ongoing race leader, stage two winner Rui Costa (Movistar). RadioShack Nissan’s Frank Schleck is second, eight seconds back.
The WorldTour race continues tomorrow with a lumpy 193 kilometre stage from Trimbach/Olten to Gansingen. Roche is both aiming for a top ten overall finish in the race and to build form for the Tour de France.
Tour de Suisse (WorldTour)
June 12, Stage 4: Aarberg - Trimbach/Olten:
1, Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) 188.8 kilometres in 4 hours 36 mins 55 secs
2, Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Movistar Team)
3, Michael Albasini (Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team)
4, Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Barracuda)
5, Francesco Gavazzi (Pro Team Astana)
6, Vladimir Gusev (Katusha Team)
Irish:
23, Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale)
Mountain 1 – Scheltenpass: 1, Brian Vandborg (Spidertech Powered By C10) 12 pts
Mountain 2 - Unter Hauenstein: 1, Brian Vandborg (Spidertech Powered By C10) 5 pts
Mountain 3 – Salhöhe: 1, Lars Petter Nordhaug (Sky Procycling) 8 pts
Teams:
1, Astana Pro Team, 13 hours 50 mins 45 secs
2, Katusha Team
3, RadioShack-Nissan
4, BMC Racing Team
5, AG2R La Mondiale, all same time
General classification after stage 4:
1, Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Movistar Team) 15 hours 43 mins 52 secs
2, Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) at 8 secs
3, Roman Kreuziger (Pro Team Astana) at 15 secs
4, Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Big Mat) at 19 secs
5, Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale) at 21 secs
6, Thomas Löfkvist (Sky Procycling) same time
Mountains classification:
1, Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) 20 pts
2, Ryan Anderson (Spidertech Powered By C10) 20
3, Brian Vandborg (Spidertech Powered By C10) 17
4, Michael Morkov (Team Saxo Bank) 17
5, Thomas Danielson (Garmin-Barracuda) 15
6, Alessandro Bazzana (Team Type 1 - Sanofi) 15
Teams classification:
1, Astana Pro Team, 47 hours 13 mins 49 secs
2, RadioShack-Nissan
3, Movistar Team, at 32 secs
4, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1 min 25 secs
5, Omega Pharma-QuickStep, at 1 min 38 secs
Other:
8, AG2R La Mondiale, at 4 mins 27 secs
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