Nicolas Roche talks to stickybottle in China: “If I can hang onto third this will be my first podium in a week-long World Tour race."
Nicolas Roche eyes WorldTour stage race podium
By Luke Maguire
Nicolas Roche is closing in on his first classification win and WorldTour podium of the season after an attacking ride at the Tour of Guangxi.
The final 3km climb proved the perfect launch pad for the BMC Racing team leader on today's stage 4.
And though he would attack first and be overhauled, and so be denied victory; it was a reminder if one were needed of Roche’s continued prowess at this level.
He went into the stage in 13th, some 19 seconds off race leader Fernando Gaviria (QuickStep).
As teams battled to be first to the corner which led into the final climb there was a mass crash in the peloton.
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It happened with 5km to the line and took down upwards of twenty riders. Roche was unaffected as his BMC team led the peloton at the time.
The Irishman was first to hit out near the base of the climb, quickly establishing a 50m gap.
As the pack disintegrated behind it was eventual stage winner Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) and second place Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo) who rode across to form the winning trio.
Roche was first to reach the flamme rouge, claiming the maximum 20 mountains points available.
He now becomes leader of that classification and takes the jersey from his team mate Silvan Dillier.
Overall, Roche is 3rd just nine seconds off Wellens and he still feels that can change with two stages remaining.
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“The reason why I came here was for this stage,” he told stickybottle at stage end.
“Team Sky were setting a good pace for Landa and Poels. I had looked at the parcours and knew there was going to be this last ramp at the end.
“I knew it would flatten out a bit at the finish so I went very hard very early to try and hold the gap.
“It went on a bit longer than I expected and that’s when Mollema and Wellens came across.
“Wellens got away on the last little incline. But at that stage my effort was already done and I couldn’t respond.”
Roche paid tribute to his team mates, saying because of their work the crash was not an issue for him in the final.
“They kept me right at the front and out of the wind all day. They know I’m in good shape.
"Ben Hermans is co-leader this week so we have a few cards to play.
“Coming into today I was really thinking about the GC and gaining time so that’s why I hit-out early and didn’t wait for the final metres.
“Getting the points jersey is a bonus but today was all about the GC for me. The important thing now will be to stay in the top three.
“If I can hang onto third this will be my first podium in a week-long World Tour race.
“I will have to keep an eye on Alaphilippe who is 4th because I know he is fast and will be looking for bonus seconds.”
The Irishman said he was also enjoying being in China; a country where he took a fine win in the Tour de Beijing six years ago.
“The scenery here in Guangxi is spectacular. We were going through towns and it was just unbelievable the amount of people that were there,” he said.
“Nothing like this has ever come to the region so the local people are really excited. It has been an interesting race so far - the racing hasn’t been as relaxed as some expected.
“Yesterday with 50km to go everyone just began all-out attacking and it made for a tough day and good for the spectators.”
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