Nicolas Roche is looking forward to the Olympic road race tomorrow and has not ruled out continuing as a pro and coming back for the Paris Games in three years.
When Roche and Martin line out in Tokyo tomorrow
alongside Eddie Dunbar they will be bringing their family’s Olympic appearances
to a total of 11.
Roche’s and Martin’s fathers – Stephen Roche and Neil
Martin – got the ball rolling in 1980 when both made rode the Moscow Games; for
Ireland and Great Britain respectively.
Neil Martin was back at the Olympics for years later in
Los Angeles for Great Britain. Nicolas Roche then made his Olympic debut in
2008 in Beijing, before he and Dan Martin represented Ireland in the London
Games in 2012 and in Rio in 2016.
And by the time Rio rolled out Dan Martin’s wife, Jess, have become the best 10,000 metre runner in Great Britain and made the team for the Olympics. Tomorrow, Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin go again.
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“I think it’s very special,” Roche told PA in an
interview in Tokyo of his extended family’s record of representation at the
Olympics.
“There are a few sporting dynasties and sporting families
but it’s been great that myself and Dan have been there for almost 15 years
going to the world championships, the Europeans and the Olympics.”
“A couple of years ago we had Dan’s father, my uncle, as
a sports director and a soigneur,” Roche added. “Even though we were on a
national team it had a family feel to it in terms of comfort.
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“There’s always stress there because myself and Dan try to be very competitive, but it’s the little things that make it a bit more cosy.”
Roche said he
also believed Eddie Dunbar could perform well tomorrow, on what will be his
Olympic debut. At 24 years, Dunbar could have another three appearances ahead
of him.
“He’s very aggressive and quite similar to Dan at the
same age,” Roche said of Cork man
Dunbar, who has been riding very well this year for Ineos Grenadiers.
“He’s capable of producing amazing attacks. It’s great to
have Eddie there, a bit younger minded and not afraid to just try something.”
Roche is
currently in his 17th full season as a pro, and also rode as a stagiaire in 2004
for Cofidis. Having just turned 37-years-old, Roche has always said he wanted
to race on as a professional until he was 40 years, meaning three more years in
the sport.
And if that
happens, it would bring him to 2024, when the Olympics would be in France,
where Roche has lived most of his life.
“The next Games are only three years away so fingers crossed,” Roche said of
possibly making a fifth appearance for Ireland.
“How great would it be to finish the last race of my
career in the Olympics? For now
I’m still pushing for a contract for next year but I’m going to think about it.
“It takes a lot of sacrifice to get to the Olympics. I’m
definitely not a favourite to get a medal or anything, but it’s just special to
go.”
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