Nicolas Roche on the attack at Tour de France
Nicolas Roche has once again shown his form at the Tour de France, taking 4th place after a day on the attack.
The BMC Racing man was among the strongest of a very large front group that pulled clear on today’s stage 8.
However, on the hot and undulating 187.5km road from Dole to Station des Rousses it was Lilian Calmejane (Direct Energie) who reigned supreme.
The Frenchman with a strong of top results to his name already this season took a solo win some 37 seconds ahead of Robert Gesink (LottoNl-Jumbo).
A further 13 seconds came the remains of the escape, who had been joined the select group containing all the main favourites right at the finish.
Guillaume Martin (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) took the sprint for 3rd from that group, with Roche next over the line.
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Dan Martin was with the main favourites when they caught Roche the others who had been on the attack.
Martin put in a dig coming in the road in a bid to eke out a few more seconds, though his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
The 50-rider lead group would form around halfway through the stage. Such was the sheer number of riders clear there were constant efforts made to break it up.
And while it would split and regroup many times; when as six-man selection rode clear Nicolas Roche was in it.
He was with Greg Van Avermaet Warren Barguil (Team Sunweb), Serge Pauwels (Dimension Data), Jan Bakelants (AG2R La Mondiale), Simon Clarke (Cannondale-Drapac), Gesink and eventual stage winner Calmejane with about 40km remaining.
On the last climb of the day – the 11.7km cat 1 Cote de la Combe de Laisa Les Mounes – Roche surged clear with Pauwels, Gesink and Calmejane.
Soon Calmejane would attack alone and while Roche went after him the Frenchman was gone on to win alone.
Stage 8: Dole to Station des Rousses (187.5km)
1 Lilian Calmejane (Fra) Direct Energie 4:30:29
2 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:37
3 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert 0:00:50
4 Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team
5 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Orica-Scott
6 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team
7 Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Astana Pro Team
8 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe
9 Nathan Brown (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
10 Romain Hardy (Fra) Team Fortuneo - Oscaro
11 Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team
12 Louis Meintjes (RSA) UAE Team Emirates
13 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors
14 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
15 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky
16 Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team
17 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team
18 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky
19 George Bennett (NZl) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
20 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
21 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott
22 Brice Feillu (Fra) Team Fortuneo - Oscaro
23 Pierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
24 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert
25 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
General Classification
1 Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky 33:19:10
2 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:00:12
3 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:14
4 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:25
5 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:00:39
6 Simon Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:00:43
7 Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:00:47
8 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:52
9 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:54
10 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:01
11 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-Drapac
12 Pierre Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:07
13 Louis Meintjes (RSA) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:24
14 Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:01:29
15 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33
16 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky 0:01:47
17 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Drapac 0:01:57
18 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data 0:02:00
19 Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team 0:02:14
20 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty - Groupe Gobert 0:02:23
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