Roche ready for big year

CYCLING:PERHAPS IT was his second place on a stage in last year's Tour de France, maybe it was his overall strong performance in the race, but Nicolas Roche is heading into the new season fired up to make the most of his potential.

His father, Stephen, who won the Tour in 1987, has seen a big change in his outlook, and feels this could be a breakthrough year.

"He has basically realised that he is at an important point of his career," Roche snr told The Irish Times."A couple of years ago he had set himself the target of winning two or three races a season. He hasn't done that, he has had a lot of placings, but he hasn't achieved what he set his sights on.

“I think over the winter he had a good look at himself and said, ‘okay, I am knocking on the door but the door is not opening. I better change my attitude a bit’.Talking to him, his attitude has changed tremendously. He is more in the mindset of a winner now than a guy who is doing his best.”

Despite illness heading into the race, Roche performed well in last week’s Tour of the Mediterranean. He was 18th on the final stage up Mont Faron, conceding one minute and seven seconds to the stage winner Francesco Masciarelli of Acqua Sapone – Caffe Mokambo.

Roche had done some pacesetting for team-mate Rinaldo Nocentini in the run-up to the climb and was satisfied with how he performed with his remaining energy.

His first big target of the season is Paris-Nice, which runs from March 8th-15th.

He was back in Ireland this week to attend a presentation by the Irish Sports Council, and to attend the removal of Joe Daly on Wednesday evening.

There was a huge turnout for the removal and yesterday’s funeral. The Dundrum bike shop owner passed away this week at the age of 89.

In other news, German sprinter André Greipel won the second stage of the Tour of the Algarve yesterday, taking over the race lead.

It was a tough day for most of the An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Sean Kelly riders in the race. While Belgian rider Pieter Ghyllebert only conceded 27 seconds, the rest of the team lost over 10 minutes on the cold, wet, hilly stage. Irish riders David O’Loughlin and Ronan McLaughlin were over 18 minutes back, while Mark Cassidy was not listed as finishing.

It is the first race of the season for all three, and the freezing conditions were clearly a shock to the system. Their form should, however, progress in the days and weeks ahead.

FIXTURES

Saturday: Track training, Sundrive Road, 10.30.

Saturday-Sunday: National youth camp, Castlebar, 11am.

Sunday: Developmental XC race, Ballinastoe, Wicklow, 10am. Phoenix CC reliability trial, House of Sport, Belfast, 9.30. Paddy Martin Randonnee, Bray Wheelers clubhouse, 10am.