Roche ready for serious test in mountains

AFTER A week and a half of racing, after 11 stages of waiting and sharpening his form, Nicolas Roche will today get the first real indications as to whether his goal of a top-10 overall finish in this year’s Tour de France is a realistic one.

The race heads to the big mountains for the first time, and the summit finish at Luz Ardiden will shine a light on the Ag2r La Mondiale leader’s true condition.

Roche rolled in 45th yesterday, opting not to sprint in the wet, slippery conditions. His priority was to keep his legs as fresh as possible for today’s first big showdown. He remained 13th overall, three minutes 45 seconds behind the race leader Thomas Voeckler (Europcar).

The Frenchman has conceded that he is almost certain to lose his race lead on today’s battle up to the 1,175 metre-high peak.

Roche is a better climber and should move past Voeckler today or in the days ahead.

He is more concerned with his progress in relation to the other general classification contenders and while disrupted preparations for the Tour meant that he started below many of their levels, he has been gradually improving and hopes things work out well today.

Roche’s Ag2r La Mondiale team had a setback of sorts yesterday when Frenchman John Gadret pulled out of the race.

He won a stage and finished fourth overall in last month’s Giro d’Italia, but was left exhausted by the effort and never got going in the Tour.

He famously clashed with Roche during last year’s race, refusing to give his team captain his wheel when he punctured at a crucial moment, but their relations had improved and the team had expected he would provide support in the mountains.

Gadret’s fatigue has dictated otherwise, though, and so Roche must instead rely upon his other team-mates in the stages ahead.