Nicolas Roche takes hugely popular win on Vuelta summit finish; leads points & mountains

Nicolas Roche has plenty of time to celebrate his win at the summit of Alto do Monte da Groba on today's stage 2 of the Vuelta a Espana. He's now 8th overall and leads both the points and mountains classifications.

Gavin McLoughlin

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche took the biggest victory of his career in winning stage 2 of the Vuelta a Espana today, Sunday.

With 400 metres left to the finish line atop the summit of the first-category Alto do Monte da Groba, the Irishman shrewdly darted away from the remainder of a four-man group that went clear in the final 1.5 kilometres of the climb.

Crossing the line with his arms in the air and unmitigated joy on his face, it was a tremendous return to glory for a selfless rider who performed sterling work in support of Alberto Contador at the Tour de France. Fresh off the back of Dan Martin’s triumph on stage 9 of the Tour, a tremendous year for Irish cycling continues to get better.

The win elevates Roche into second place overall, 8 seconds behind new race-leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana). The Irish Sax0-Tinkoff man also holds the points and climbers' classification jerseys.

With his confidence certain to be buoyed by the result and his climbing condition clearly top-notch, the Irishman’s ambitions of a high place on general classification look all the more achievable now.

Garmin-Sharp leader Dan Martin also climbed well today, finishing in 11th place some 14 seconds behind Roche in a group that included Nibali and most of the overall favourites. After a crash involving Koldo Fernandez and Michel Kreder hindered his team’s effort in yesterday’s team time trial, Martin is now 40^th overall, 1:41 behind the red jersey.

Today, Roche and the rest faced a 178 kilometre race from Pontevedra to the summit of the first-category Alto do Monte da Groba.

The break of the day formed inside the first kilometre of racing, with a trio of Greg Henderson (Lotto-Belisol), Alex Rasmussen (Garmin-Sharp) and Francisco Aramendia (Caja Rural) able to ride away from the pack.

They worked well together and with 100 kilometres covered their lead had stretched to 13 minutes. The Astana team of race leader Janez Brajkovic spearheaded the chase for much of the day, but without real conviction.

Their insubstantial efforts whittled the gap down all too slowly, and Lampre-Merida took over the pursuit as the critical 11-kilometre ascent began to draw near. Riding into a headwind along the Atlantic coast, the escapees were suffering dearly, and by the time their lead was reduced to 4:50 with 23 kilometres remaining it was clear that this would not be their day.

Behind, the pace exploded when the domestiques fought to put their leaders in prime positions at the foot of the final climb. When the road finally curved upward, Greg Henderson was dropped from the breakaway and before long his erstwhile companions were gobbled up by a peloton now led by Movistar.

Aramendia’s attempt had failed but Caja Rural rolled the dice again as the first attack came from their man Amets Txurruka. With José Herrada (Movistar) in charge of the pursuit, a comfortable-looking Roche hovered near the front of the peloton. But few could have expected he would ultimately take the stage win.

Txurruka’s time out front was short-lived as Herrada’s brisk tempo began to shell some big names. Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was a surprising victim, and when the diminutive Movistar domestique Sylvester Szymd joined Herrada at the front, Sky leader Sergio Henao was also catapulted out the rear.

Inside the final 3 kilometres and Martin was positioned toward the rear of the favourites’ group, a couple of places ahead of race-leader Brajkovic. Herrada was still setting an electric pace and this dissuaded all attackers until Leopold König (NetApp-Endura) danced away strongly with 1.5 kilometres to go.

An overhead camera shot transmitted the image of a rider in a Saxo-Tinkoff kit setting off in pursuit, and Irish hearts entered mouths when it became gloriously clear that it was Roche.

Daniel Moreno (Katusha) and Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R-La Mondiale) joined the Irishman for company, and when the trio caught König, Pozzovivo was the first to launch a stab at victory.

But the Italian mis-timed his move and with 400 metres remaining Roche came charging past like a locomotive, his teeth bared in brutal exertion. Moreno was the strongest of his challengers, but he could not match the Saxo-Tinkoff man and the powerful Roche would not be denied, easily distancing those he was with for a very clear win.

Tomorrow is another uphill finish, a 185 kilometre trek from Vigo to the top of the third-category Mirador de Lobeira. Most of the route is essentially flat before a finishing climb that looks to favour the punchier riders. Who is to say that Roche cannot make it a double?

@gavmcloughlin