Nicolas Roche may no longer be in the pro peloton on the roads of Europe but the former World Tour rider, and double Grand Tour stage winner, is making a serious go of the international gravel scene with his new team, NR GRVL.
Monaco-based Roche has been competing in North America and as far away as Australia of late, and collecting podium finishes on the way. He has been in good form as he head into the big one this weekend; Unbound in Emporia, Kansas, tomorrow.
Roche's top result in recent weeks was 3rd in the Western Australia round of the UCI Gravel World Series, SEVEN Gravel Race.
The 38-year-old most recently competed in Belgium Waffle Ride Canada, taking 2nd behind Rob Britton, the former Canadian elite men's TT champion who has also thrown himself into gravel racing since hanging up his road racing wheels, with Rally Cycling, at the end of the 2021 season.
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Britton took the bull by the horns on the 218km course over road, gravel and single track on Vancouver Island last weekend. Ireland's Roche was in a group racing just behind Britton, who pressed ahead solo with about 100km to but held on to win after seven hours of racing.
Roche kicked on solo from the group he was in and finished 2nd just over one minute ahead of Canadian gravel national champion, Evan Russell, who was competing on local terrain and rounded out the podium on the day.
In Australia, Roche rode the UCI Gravel World Series round; SEVEN Gravel Race in Nannup, Western Australia. Victory went to former Australian pro rider, Tasman Nankervis, from Mark Chong and Roche, with the Irish rider also winning the 35-39 years category.
That race in Australia was one of seven rounds in the UCI series this year, the highest level series in the gravel discipline.
Other results of late for Roche include: BWR Arizona 11th; Midsouth, Oklahoma, 6th; BWR San Diego 15th; Dirty Reivers UK 3rd; Blaavland World Series, Denmark, 30th; Gravel Locos, Texas, 25th.
