Roche struggling to regain top form

CYCLING:NICOLAS ROCHE is continuing to try to return to the level of form which he maintained through much of last season. His build-up to the season was hampered by injury during the winter, and he expressed frustration last weekend with how long things are taking to get back on track.

“I’ve been working hard, putting in the training and racing, but haven’t got the form I want yet,” he said.

“I didn’t think it would take so long. It is improving each week, just not as fast as I would have liked.”

The 26-year-old had hoped for a strong performance in the Tour de Romandie, which began on Tuesday. He was a solid 28th in the prologue, then a distant 91st on Wednesday’s tough stage to Leysin. He dropped five-and-a-half minutes to the solo winner Pavel Brutt of Katusha.

Roche then took 61st on yesterday’s wet 171.8km stage to Romont, crossing the line one minute 42 seconds after the winner Damiano Cunego of Lampre.

He is 66th overall heading into today’s lumpy stage to Neuchatel.

His cousin Dan Martin (Garmin-Cervélo) has shown best condition of the Irish riders thus far this season.

He had hoped to contend for a top finish in Flèche Wallonne but crashed, along with Roche. Martin was the more badly injured, and while he started Liège-Bastogne-Liège last Sunday, he was a non-finisher.

In other news, the build-up towards the An Post Rás continues with the announcement of another foreign team for this year’s race.

The Italian – D’Angelo Antenucci Team Nippo squad is returning 12 months after making its debut, and will once again be managed by former Tour de France yellow jersey wearer Alberto Elli.

The line-up includes sprinter Bernardo Riccio, who notched up two stage victories this year in the Tour of South Africa, as well as the team’s general classification hopes Henry Frusto and Alexander Zhdanov.

“Last year the team took several top-10 placings in sprints and this time around it has a very impressive line-up,” said race director Dermot Dignam.

“The experience will stand to the riders and we expect them to be very prominent in the results.”

Many of the Irish competitors will continue to build their condition in this weekend’s Tour of Ulster.

The three-day race begins tomorrow with a 140km stage from Dungannon to Ballygawley.

FIXTURES

Friday: Coalisland GP, starts 7pm Saturday – Monday: Tour of Ulster, stage one begins in Dungannon; Kanturk Three-Day, first races at 11am; Sunday: IVCA Curragh CP, Curragh, 9.15am.