Revelation of Vuelta a Espana, Nicolas Roche attacks for stage win and gains time

Nicolas Roche has been a revelation on this Vuelta, riding with an aggression not seen since his first Tour and Vuelta before being lumbered with the straightjacket of team leadership at Ag2r. Seen here on the attack up the final ascent on stage 19.

By Gavin McLoughlin

Nicolas Roche was again amongst the most aggressive as the Saxo-Tinkoff leader mounted a lively but ultimately unsuccessful assault in the final 1500 metres of stage 19 of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday, Friday.

His face a picture of pain, the Irishman surged clear of his adversaries in search of his second stage win at this Vuelta.

However, when Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) blasted past under the flamme rouge, Roche could not match the Spaniard’s explosive power.

Rodriguez went on to claim the stage victory and Roche arrived home 23 seconds later, in tenth-place on the stage. The Saxo-Tinkoff leader is still fifth overall and increased his lead over sixth-placed Domenico Pozzovivo to 2:11 by taking ten seconds from the Italian today.

Barring a disaster on today’s final mountain stage, Roche is set to achieve his goal of a top-five placing on general classification.

Had he been able to deliver the win yesterday, a large portion of the credit would have to go to the Saxo-Tinkoff domestiques, who assumed control when the favourites hit the lower slopes of the second-category climb to the finish.

They set an electric pace all the way to the point where Roche attacked, with Rafal Majka again the last of the Irishman’s teammates to peel off. But it wasn’t to be their day as Rodriguez was too good for everyone.

Another who wound up disappointed was overnight leader Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), who finally surrendered the red jersey to Radioshack-Leopard’s Chris Horner, having been very much the American’s inferior on the slopes since stage 16.

Nibali was distanced by Horner in the final run to the line and is three seconds off the lead heading into tomorrow. Roche is 3:49 behind the red jersey.

Yesterday the riders were confronted with a 181-kilometre trek from San Vicente de la Barquera to the summit of the second-category Alto del Naranco. The initial breakaway consisted of about 20 riders, but midway through the stage Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) and Georg Preidler (Argos-Shimano) escaped from this contingent and established a lead at the head of the race.

With 20 kilometres remaining, this duo was 2 minutes clear of the favourites’ group and working well together. But the big names were looking eager and with rider after rider steaming out of the peloton in an effort to bridge over, it looked like Boasson Hagen and Preidler were doomed.

José João Mendes (NetApp-Endura) was among those who eventually managed to get across to the two leaders and the Portuguese went for it on the descent of the penultimate climb. He was a minute ahead of the general classification contenders when he started up the final ascent, but Mendes would not be able to hold the hordes at bay.

In the final 2 kilometres, it was Roche who finally sealed Mendes’ fate as the Irishman kicked hard to close the small gap to the Portuguese rider’s wheel. This done, the Saxo-Tinkoff leader sat up, and you wondered if he had burnt all his energy.

But within seconds he had darted away again with Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) in pursuit. The Italian made it over to the grimacing Irishman and together they led the way to the flamme rouge.

This pair had seized the initiative but when Rodriguez caught up and instantly soared away, it looked like no-one could catch him. In the end, that was just how it proved.

Today’s penultimate leg only covers 142 kilometres, but it is far from a picnic. The day concludes with the ascent of the Alto de l’Angliru, a 13-kilometre expanse of cruel and unusual punishment and one of the most difficult mountains in cycling.

It will be Roche’s most brutal test and the last serious obstacle to be surmounted in his pursuit of that top-five spot.

@gavmcloughlin