Stage win just eludes Roche

CYCLINGPRODUCING THE best Irish result in a Grand Tour since his father Stephen won a stage of the Tour de France 16 years ago, Nicolas Roche went agonisingly close to victory on stage 18 of the Tour of Spain yesterday.

The 24-year-old Crédit Agricole rider led out the sprint but was passed by breakaway companion Imanol Erviti Ollo (Caisse d'Epargne) approximately 50 metres from the line in Las Rozas. He rallied and narrowly missed out on passing the Spaniard again, netting second.

The duo had been part of an 18-man breakaway move which got clear in the first six kilometres of the 167.4 kilometre stage, and which also included riders such as world champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step), Greg Van Avermaet (Silence-Lotto) and Andry Grivko (Team Milram).

Roche, Erviti Ollo, David Herrero Llorente (Xacobeo Galicia) and Vasili Kiryienka (Tinkoff Credit Systems) then clipped away inside the final four clicks and sprinted it out for the win. Roche was very disappointed to miss out by less than half a wheel, but the seven minutes 29 seconds he gained on the main bunch saw him jump from 17th to an excellent 13th overall.

"I am frustrated, it's a pity. You only get a few opportunities like that, they don't come along too often," he said afterwards. "There was a sharp corner 500 metres from the line.

"I was hoping the sprint would go from a long way but they stalled after the corner and started looking at each other. The other riders who were behind were getting closer to us so it was a risk.

"I decided to jump early, but the guy who won was strong enough to grab my wheel. When he went by me, I told myself to fight, to keep going, that I could get back to him, but I just missed out. You can redo the sprint 25 times in your head, but it is done."

He will start tomorrow's stage to Segovia 11 minutes and 42 seconds behind ongoing race leader Alberto Contador (Team Astana) and, barring an unexpected mishap, looks set for a top 15 finish when the race ends in Madrid on Sunday. This result yesterday and the Route du Sud win by Nicolas Roche's first cousin Daniel Martin earlier this year suggests Irish cycling could be on the verge of another golden era.

In related news, Roche has been named as one of three riders who will line out in the Elite world road race championships in Varese, Italy, next Sunday week. He will be joined there by Philip Deignan (Ag2r La Mondiale) and Irish-based competitor Roger Aiken, who was the best Irish finisher in the recent Tour of Ireland.

Martin will start the under-23 road race as one of the strong favourites, his good form confirmed by his fourth place last weekend in the Tour of Britain. Ronan McLaughlin and Conor McConvey will back his bid to win the race.

Significantly, there will be four Irish competitors in the Elite women's road race. National champion Siobhan Dervan, Sneem Hotel Rás na mBan winner Louise Moriarty, Heather Wilson and Olivia Dillon will compete, with Wilson and Dillion also going in the Elite time trial.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday: MTB Marathon, Carlingford, Co. Louth. Saturday-Sunday: IVCA Track championships, Sundrive Road, races start at 11am. Sunday: Wexford county championships. For more details call Liam Ruth at 087-8334592. Team TT league, Castlebar, 11am. Connacht MTB league, Moorehall, Co Mayo. noon.