ROCHE FINISHES 89TH OVERALL IN TOUR OF BENELUX

Nicolas Roche finished 76th in yesterday’s concluding time trial of the Eneco Tour of Benelux, recording a time 3 minutes and 38 seconds off that of victorious Team CSC rider Bobby Julich. The American finished 37 seconds clear in the flat, windy 26.3 kilometre test, jumping from sixth to first overall and thus winning his second ProTour event of the year. Julich won Paris-Nice back in March and then also took the 2.HC ranked Criterium International.

First year professional Roche (Cofidis) finished 89th overall, 36 minutes and 38 seconds behind Julich. He was 30th in the best young rider classification.



Eneco Tour of Benelux, Netherlands & Belgium (ProTour)

Stage 7, Etten-Leur (Ned) ITT, 26.3 km

1, Bobby Julich (Team CSC) 26.3 kilometres in 31 mins 14 secs (50.522 km/h)
2, Leif Hoste (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) at 37 secs
3, Erik Dekker (Rabobank) at 45 secs
4, Jan Hruska (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 55 secs
5, José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Illes Balears-Caisse D'epargne) at 1 min
6, Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) at 1 min 5 secs

Other:

76, Nicholas Roche (Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone) at 3 mins 38 secs


Final General classification :

1, Bobby Julich, 29 hours 8 mins 1 sec
2, Erik Dekker, at 21 secs
3, Hoste, at 41 secs
4, Thomas Dekker, at 54 secs
5, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 1 min 7 secs
6, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) at 1 min 16 secs
Other:

89, Roche, at 36 mins 38 secs

(136 finishers)

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10/8/05 ROCHE 121ST ON STAGE 6

Nicolas Roche yesterday finished 121st on the penultimate stage of the Eneco Tour of Benelux, losing 8 minutes and 12 seconds to a large main bunch led home by Stefan Van Dijk (MrBookmaker.com). Van Dijk outsprinted Discovery Channel’s Max Van Heeswijk and Simone Cadamuro (Domina Vacanze) for the win on the streets of Hoogstraten.

Roche (Cofidis), the son of 1987 Tour de France winner Stephen Roche, lies 88th in the general classification heading into today’s final stage. Belgian Rik Verbrugghe (Quick.Step) continues to lead overall and carries a 5 second advantage over Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) into the race against the clock. Last year’s winner Erik Dekker (Rabobank) is a further 8 seconds back in third.

The ProTour ranked event concludes with a 26.3 kilometre individual time trial.


Eneco Tour of Benelux, Netherlands & Belgium (ProTour)

Stage 6, Sint-Truiden to Hoogstraten:

1, Stefan Van Dijk (Mr. Bookmaker-Sportstech) 196 kilometres in 4 hours 10 mins 37 secs (46.9 km/h)
2, Max Van Heeswijk (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team)
3, Simone Cadamuro (Domina Vacanze)
4, Tom Steels (Davitamon-Lotto)
5, Marco Zanotti (Liquigas-Bianchi)
6, Erik Zabel (T-Mobile Team) all same time

Other: 121, Nicholas Roche (Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone) at 8 mins 12 secs


General classification after stage 6:

1, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) 28 hours 36 mins 10 secs
2, Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 5 secs
3, Erik Dekker (Rabobank) at 13 secs
4, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 15 secs
5, Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 17 secs
6, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) at 19 secs

Other:

88, Roche, at 33 mins 37 secs


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8/8/05 ROCHE IN MAIN BUNCH ON STAGE FIVE

Today’s fifth stage of the Eneco Tour of Benelux ended in a mass bunch sprint, with Discovery Channel rider Max Van Heeswijk proving quickest for the second time in the race. Alberto Ongarato (Fassa Bortolo) was second with Stefan Van Dijk (Mr.Bookmaker.com) third.

Former Irish international Nicolas Roche was 90th. He is 72nd overall, 25 minutes and 24 seconds behind overall leader Rik Verbrugghe of the Quick.Step team.

The ProTour ranked event continues tomorrow with a 196 kilometre stage from Sint-Truiden to Hoogstraten.

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Eneco Tour of Benelux, Netherlands & Belgium (ProTour):

Stage 5, Verviers to Hasselt:

1, Max Van Heeswijk (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) 194 kilometres in 4 hours 41 mins 6 secs (41.408 km/h)
2, Alberto Ongarato (Fassa Bortolo)
3, Stefan Van Dijk (Mr. Bookmaker-Sportstech)
4, Tom Steels (Davitamon-Lotto)
5, Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Caffita)
6, Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) all same time

Other:

90, Nicholas Roche (Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone) same time


General classification after stage 5:

1, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) 24 hours 25 mins 34 secs
2, Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 6 secs
3, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 14 secs
4, Erik Dekker (Rabobank) at 15 secs
5, Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 16 secs
6, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) at 18 secs

Other:

72, Roche, at 25 mins 24 secs


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7/8/05 ROCHE 99TH ON STAGE FOUR OF TOUR OF BENELUX

Nicolas Roche finished 99th on today’s fourth stage of the ProTour-ranked Eneco Tour of Benelux, finishing 14 minutes and 56 seconds behind winner Alessandro Ballan of the Lampre-Caffita team. The Italian beat 35 others to take the stage from Landgraaf to Verviers.

Belgian rider Rik Verbrugghe (Quick.Step-Innergetic) finished second and retains his race leader’s jersey. He’s six seconds clear of Australian Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros) heading into tomorrow’s 194 kilometre stage to Hasselt, with Roche now 76th overall.



Eneco Tour of Benelux, Netherlands and Belgium (ProTour)

Stage 4, Landgraaf – Verviers:

1, Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Caffita) 232 kilometres in 6 hours 6 mins 5 secs (38.024 km/h)
2, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic
3, Leif Hoste (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team
4, Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team
5, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team
6, Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Caffita) all same time

Other:

99, Nicolas Roche (Cofids) at 14 mins 56 secs

General classification after stage 4:

1, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) 19 hours 44 mins 28 secs
2, Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 6 secs
3, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 14 secs
4, Erik Dekker (Rabobank) at 15 secs
5, Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 16 secs
6, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) at 18 secs

Other:

76, Nicolas Roche, at 25 mins 24 secs

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6/8/05 ROCHE 65TH ON STAGE THREE

Former Irish international Nicolas Roche placed 65th on today’s third stage of the ProTour-ranked Eneco Tour of Benelux. The Cofidis rider finished 2 minutes 34 seconds behind Liberty Seguros’ Allan Davis on the 206 kilometre stage to Landgraaf.

Prologue winner Rik Verbrugghe (Quick.Step) reclaimed the race leaders jersey after the stage. Roche is 74th, 10 minutes and 22 seconds down. The race continues tomorrow with a 232 kilometre stage to Verviers.


Eneco Tour of Benelux, Netherlands and Belgium (ProTour), stage 3, Beek – Landgraaf:

1, Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) 206 kilometres in 4 hours 56 mins 44 secs (41.714 km/h)
2, Erik Dekker (Rabobank) at 5 secs
3, Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Caffita)
4, Serguei Ivanov (T-Mobile Team)
5, Pieter Mertens (Chocolade Jacques - T Interim)
6, Peter Van Petegem (Davitamon-Lotto) all same time
Other:

65, Nicolas Roche (Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone) at 2 mins 34 secs

General classification after stage 3:

1, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) 13 hours 38 mins 29 secs
2, Davis, at 2 secs
3, Michael Blaudzun (Team CSC) at 8 secs
4, Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 10 secs
5, Bram Schmitz (T-Mobile Team) at 12 secs
6, Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) same time

Other:

74, Roche, at 10 mins 22 secs


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5/8/05 ROCHE SLIPS BACK

Nicolas Roche dropped down the standings of the Eneco Tour of Benelux today, having lost 7 minutes and 26 seconds on the 178 kilometre stage to Sittard/Geleen. Simone Cadamuro (Domina Vacanze) won a 94 man sprint to take the win, with Roche coming home in a small group for 148th place.

Yesterday’s stage winner Max Van Heeswijk continues to lead overall. He is 3 seconds ahead of prologue victor Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) in the general classification. Roche is now 139th, 7 minutes and 56 seconds back. The race continues tomorrow with a 206 kilometre stage from Beek to Landgraaf.


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Eneco Tour of Benelux, Netherlands and Belgium (ProTour):

Stage 2, Geldrop - Sittard/Geleen:


1, Simone Cadamuro (Domina Vacanze) 178 kilometers in 4 hours 14 mins 48 secs (42.904 km/h)
2, Marco Zanotti (Liquigas-Bianchi)
3, Enrico Gasparotto (Liquigas-Bianchi)
4, Manuel Quinziato (Saunier Duval-Prodir)
5, Stefan Van Dijk (Mr. Bookmaker-Sportstech)
6, Jaan Kirsipuu (Credit Agricole)

Other:

148, Nicolas Roche (Cofidis) at 7 mins 26 secs



General classification after stage 2:

1,Max Van Heeswijk (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) 8 hours 41 mins 37 secs
2, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) at 3 secs
3, Gert Steegmans (Davitamon-Lotto) at 12 secs
4, Kevin Van Impe (Chocolade Jacques - T Interim) same time
5, Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 13 secs
6, Roger Hammond (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) same time

Other:

139, Roche, at 7 mins 56 secs



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4/7/05 ROCHE GOING WELL IN TOUR OF BENELUX

Former Irish international Nicolas Roche (Cofidis) turned in a good prologue on yesterday’s opening leg of the Tour of Benelux. The first year professional finished 51st in the 5.7 kilometre prologue in Mechelen, Belgium, posting a time 17.99 seconds off the winning pace of Rik Verbrugghe (Quick.Step-Innergetic).

Roche then finished as part of a large main bunch on today’s first stage proper, placing 123rd, eight seconds behind the winner Max Van Heeswijk of the Discovery Channel team. He begins tomorrow’s second stage 52nd, 28 seconds behind the Dutchman. The ProTour event runs until next Wednesday.

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Eneco Tour of Benelux, Netherlands & Belgium (ProTour), August 3-10, 2005

Prologue - August 3: Mechelen (Bel) ITT, 5.7 km

1, Rik Verbrugghe (Quick Step-Innergetic) 5.7 kilometres in 6 mins 45.11 secs (50.66 km/h)
2, Carlos Barredo Llamazales (Liberty Seguros-Würth Team) at 1 min 35 secs
3, Servais Knaven (Quick Step-Innergetic) at 2.49 secs
4, Uwe Peschel (Gerolsteiner) at 2.79 secs
5, Stijn Devolder (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) at 2.09 secs
6, Mirco Lorenzetto (Domina Vacanze) at 2.57 secs

Other:

51, Nicholas Roche (Cofidis, Le Credit Par Telephone) at 17.99 secs

Stage 1, Geel – Mierlo:

1, Max Van Heeswijk (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) 192 kilometres in 4 hours 20 mins 8 secs (43.685 km/h)
2, Marco Zanotti (Liquigas-Bianchi)
3, Steven De Jongh (Rabobank)
4, Giosuè Bonomi (Lampre-Caffita)
5, Erik Zabel (T-Mobile Team)
6, Manuele Mori (Saunier Duval-Prodir)

Other : 123, Roche, at 8 secs


General classification after stage 1

1, Max Van Heeswijk (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team) 4 hours 26 mins 51 secs
2, Verbrugghe, at 1 sec
3, Barredo Llamazales, at 11 secs
4, Roger Hammond (Discovery Channel ProCycling Team)
5, Stefan Van Dijk (Mr. Bookmaker-Sportstech)
6, Kevin Van Impe (Chocolade Jacques - T Interim) all same time

52, Roche, at 28 secs