Nicolas Roche manages a smile at the end of a successful Vuelta attack. But he said his legs were "in bits" by the time he finished. And he said tomorrow is a very big test.
Nicolas Roche in top condition ahead of big Vuelta test
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Having gained time on all his general classification rivals today, Nicolas Roche said he knows his form is good and so decided to give it a go.
The Irish rider attacked on the final descent into the finish of stage 10.
He went after Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) when the Italian jumped going down the climb.
Nibali soon went back to the select group just behind, containing race leader Chris Froome (Team Sky). But Roche would press on to take 29 seconds out of the group.
He was 12th on the stage as some of the large early breakaway finished four minutes ahead of him.
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“It was a good day. It wasn’t really planning to go on the descent,” Nicolas Roche said afterwards.
“But when I saw Vincenzo Nibali making a gap, I tried to get around the other GC riders.
“I came back onto Vincenzo and then opened a bit of a gap. I said ‘let’s go and see what happens’.
“Today, the pace was quite high. And you could see that everybody was still there until the last kilometre (of the final climb) when Vincenzo did a proper attack."
Nicolas Roche also believed there were 10 to 12 riders in this Vuelta "on a very similar level".
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The profile for tomorrow's stage 11. Nicolas Roche says the stage will be a big test.
“I know (I’m) not the worst descender in the peloton. And I thought today could be an opportunity.
“I had a few scares in those hairpins. I’m not a big fan of those descent finishes. But today it worked out.
“Tomorrow is going to be very different. I know the shape is there.
“I’m definitely in great condition. But tomorrow is definitely a big test with the high mountains.”
Roche added he was happy with the way he had ridden the Vuelta so far, including preserving energy.
“I haven’t been doing anything crazy. I was always in the back of that little group making sure that I don’t throw away energy going after everything.
“So, I think I rode pretty conservatively trying to hang on on those steep mountains.
“Today was the only day when I gave it a proper go in the final. And my legs were in bits when I crossed the line.”
Nicolas Roche’s sports director at BMC Racing, Yvon Ledanois, praised the Irishman.
“Today was a good day. It’s not easy to take time back and Nicolas Roche did just that,” he said.
“He took almost 30 seconds and is now on equal time to Chaves. You never know what will happen in this Vuelta.
“Maybe tomorrow we will gain time, maybe we will lose time. So, you have to take the time when you can.
“I liked to see him try like this and maybe tomorrow, it will be Tejay who tries. We still have both riders in the top five and we will keep taking it day by day.”
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