Nicolas Roche distanced some top riders with his Paris-Nice surge as he set up team leaders Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas for a stage 1-2 yesterday.
By Brian Canty
Nicolas Roche has passed a major test at Paris-Nice in establishing himself as a key rider for Team Sky’s major goals in the season ahead after he set up his team leaders for 1-2 on the fourth stage of the race.
The Irishman came into this week on the back of some solid form from the Vuelta a Ciclista Andalucia Ruta del Sol last month and yesterday executed to perfection the job he was signed to do.
Heading for the mountaintop finish at Croix de Chaubouret, Team Sky massed at the head of affairs, with Roche right towards the front.
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And at around five kilometres to go he let rip, shattering an already reduced front group with a vicious acceleration.
He distanced many strong riders, such as former Tinkoff-Saxo teammate Rafa Majka and Andrew Talansky of Cannondale-Garmin.
It's early days yet but Nicolas Roche seems to be settling well into Team Sky and is also happy with his form for this time of year.
And that allowed his team leaders Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte to have a crack at the stage win; with eventual winner Porte driving for the line with Thomas in tow.
World champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx - Quick-Step) crossed the line eight seconds back and retained the overall lead by a second. But it’s very much all to play for.
“I think everyone is satisfied tonight; it was a good team effort,” Roche told stickybottle last evening.
“The last three or four days we’ve tried not to lose time and made some big efforts.
“We really wanted to try something today but it’s one thing trying to do something and another being capable of doing it. But what a finish by Richie and G.”
He said he was “happy enough” with his own performance.
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It was cold and misty in the early miles during the race to the sun yesterday.
“It’s good to be playing part of the team tactics at a good moment,” he offered.
“But I’m definitely not at the top yet; I’m still missing some race speed and power.
“But I was happy because I’m in better condition now than I have been at this time in other years.
“The start of the year is never my real goal; I always feel it takes me a while to get going.
“So it’s good to be able to help and give the maximum to the team even though I’m not at 100 per cent.”
Roche set a testing pace yesterday that few could live with; a job he could be asked to do many times this year.
The Paris-Nice riders will have to wait a little longer to get their tans into shape for this year.
“We had planned to get me to 5k to go and then I had a couple of kilometres on my own to put the pressure on as much as possible.
“G said he wanted to give it a go in the last 3k before the finish so I knew I had to try and go as quickly as possible to try and run down the other team leaders so when he goes it’s going to be the battle among the overall team contenders (to chase).”
Roche added while he was delighted with the way Porte and Thomas had stormed off to finish the team effort in such spectacular fashion, there was still much to play for before the race finishes on Sunday.
“Tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday will be very tricky and I think there’ll be a great battle on Col d’Eze,” he said of the final stage time trial.
“I believe Richie and G are up there and I believe and hope they can make it on Sunday but the hard bit will be keeping them out of trouble the next two days.”
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