Roche has been doing more media in recent years as well as www.stephenroche.com
Former Tour de France and Giro winner, Stephen Roche has said he believes Team Sky may be very close to winning the Tour de France, but he has backed Chris Froome to pull it off rather than Bradley Wiggins.
Roche has questioned the wisdom of the British outfit trying to win the GC and point’s classification in the Tour this year, saying keeping Mark Cavendish supplied with lead-outs while simultaneously protecting a GC contender may be a step too far.
"It will be very difficult for them," said the Irish former world road race champion.
"Cavendish has a habit of getting himself docked points from his conduct and in this year's Tour any misconduct will be severely punished so if he realistically wants to win the green jersey he will have to be careful. He, or anyone else, could lose up to 60 points following a rule change.”
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"So, if Cavendish wins a couple of stages and then doesn't end up winning (the green jersey) then it may jeopardise the yellow jersey.”
"The biggest problem I see is the management. They've got a headache. How are they going to coordinate the sprints for Cavendish so that he's happy he has a good lead-out?”
“How are they going to cope with Froome and Wiggins when they can't ride in the lead-out for Cavendish? Then Cavendish's lead-out man can't ride for them. It's going to be a nightmare for the management; I wouldn't like to be them at all."
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Roche was speaking to the UK’s ‘Daily Telegraph’ newspaper in London. He is in England as part of his role as ambassador for the HotChillee London-Paris and Alpine Challenge.
As well as his media and publicity roles, Roche owns the Roche Marina Hotel on the French Rivera and www.stephenroche.com, the cycling holidays and team training camp company based in Mallorca.
On the issue of who might be Team Sky’s best chance of a Tour GC win in Paris, Roche said Froome may be the most likely.
"I think Froome is the one: he's got a great attitude, great ability. He time-trials well, climbs well and recuperates very well and can last the three weeks.
"Ok, Bradley's there, but he's now targeted. People know Bradley, whereas Froome could benefit from the limelight being on Bradley and Cavendish.”
Roche said when Team Sky manager Dave Brailsford said a couple of years ago they wanted to win the Tour de France within five years, he doubted the ambition at the time but does not doubt it now.
"Initially I felt that that that was just a commercial pitch because a Tour winner doesn't just come along like that. So who's Brailsford got in his pocket capable of winning the Tour? Wiggins? Well maybe now, but not at the time. But now we look at it differently. I think Brailsford was very courageous to come out and announce that.”
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