Nicolas Roche - 2014 season

dastardly00

2013 saw Nico take one step backwards in order to move two steps forward. He went from team leader at AG2R to domestique at Saxo-Tinkoff. This change however resulted in Nico having his best season to date, winning Stage 2 and coming 5th overall in Vuelta a Espana (plus getting to wear numerous classification jerseys along the way), and coming 13th in the time-trial at the World Championships.

So what will 2014 be like?

He has confirmed that he will be riding in the Giro d'Italia. And with Contador's main focus being le Tour, Nico will also be taking part in that. La Vuelta always appears to be Nico's strongest Grand Tour, but if he completes the Giro, then the last GT of the year might not be an option. Plus Bertie has said that he will be entering it. Nico has always underperformed in the Ardennes Classics, so I'd really like to see him do well in some of those races (Contador isn't entering them, so it'll depend if Nico will be a domestique for Kreuziger/Majka)

"We had our first pre-season training camp this week and Saxo Bank confirmed to me today that the Giro is on my race programme for next year, so I'm really happy to be able to say I'll be in Belfast next May."

godtabh

The team has changed hands. Now Tinkov Saxo

Link

Nicolas Roche will have a new boss next season after Russian entrepreneur Oleg Tinkov penned a deal to buy Bjarne Riis' Danish Saxo-Tinkoff team.

ALSO IN THIS SECTION
Factfile
Mulligan gets Euro call-up
Greyhound results
Ironman Training Schedules
Improve Your Performance With This Ironman Guide - Expert Advice
www.220Triathlon.com/ironman
€10 Mortgage Protection
Mortgage Protection from €10 month. Compare 7 Companies. Instant Quote.
IrishInsurance.ie/instant-quote
Ads by Google
Roche was at yesterday's announcement in London where controversial businessman Tinkov outlined his plans to build the best team in world.

The team, which will be rebranded as Tinkov-Saxo, will initially be built around Spaniard Alberto Contador, who has settled his differences with the Russian after they fell out during the Tour de France this year.

Riis, who won the 1996 Tour de France, has agreed a three-year deal as team manager.

Tinkov's company was a co-sponsor of the team this year along with Denmark's Saxo Bank. The entrepreneur, who according to media reports has paid €6m for the team founded more than a decade ago by Riis, said there would be additional funding to strengthen the squad over the next few years.

"We could buy, and we will buy, more riders, stronger riders, more stars if you wish," Tinkov said before adding that the line-up for next season had already been settled.

He initially said he would not renew his deal with the team after sniping at Contador when the former winner finished only fourth in the Tour.

"Oleg and I have spent a lot of time together and what happened immediately after the Tour is a long way behind us," Contador said. "The riders I need to help me achieve my ambitions will have their future guaranteed for the coming years."

The new owner's Tinkoff Credit Systems company will be the main title sponsor for the next three years. Saxo Bank, a backer since 2008, will remain as the second sponsor in 2014 when the team will compete under the Tinkoff-Saxo name.

Tinkov said he has been passionate about cycling since he got his first bike as a 12-year-old growing up in Siberia.

He believed it was a good time to invest in the sport as it recovers following the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

"I strongly believe doping is over," said Tinkov. "In serious and big teams there is no issue about that now.

"It's over now, cycling has changed," adding he had zero tolerance for doping.

AnotherView

Seems he is targeting Milan Sanremo ( if weather like this year then he might find it hard)

Also at Tour of Aman. Tirreno Adriatico and other Italian races(eg Strade Bianche )

I think he has a good chance in the Giro if in form....only the Zoncolon (one of the hardest climbs ever) will really be a problem imo

Nice to see his confidence is high.....he will do well in 2014

ericzeking

It will be interesting to see how the team leadership pans out for the Giro, Majka had his own breakthrough race in the Giro last year and Nico kind of owes him for the work he did for him in Spain last year

AnotherView

Imagine Nico and Majka will co lead and whoever is strongest as the race progresses will have overall lead

Problem is not leadership ...its having a strong enough team for Team Time Trial in Belfast....don't want to lose too much time and best Saxo TTers will be kept for the Tour to support Contador

Ireland could have two riders at top of a grand tour at end of the Giro d'Italia..exciting !!!

But could have an Irish rider in pink after TTT in Belfast and that could most likely be Philip Deignan imo

D3PO

Given Nicos history of slow starts to seasons, his admission of performing badly in cold weather and the Zoncolon Id be surprised if hes the leader going into the Giro.

Id imagine Majika will be leader and Roche will be a protected rider just incase.

godtabh

D3PO wrote: »

Given Nicos history of slow starts to seasons, his admission of performing badly in cold weather and the Zoncolon Id be surprised if hes the leader going into the Giro.

Id imagine Majika will be leader and Roche will be a protected rider just incase.

He does not like the cold!

We should invite him over here for a few winter spins!

AnotherView

Get him out there by the Atlantic where it can be really cold.....the Blasket islands or Achil or some such place ...maybe leave him out overnight

In my grandmothers house the wind would come in under the door (there was always gaps under the door) and under the rattling window panes and freeze you on the spot
We took turns standing by the fire !!!!


I think Nico is serious about doing very well in the Giro so I imagine he will get the necessary training , hopefully on the Zoncolon as well

Henlars67

Since he always improves as the season goes on should they not have considered sending him to the Tour Down Under in January?

AnotherView

Henlars67 wrote: »

Since he always improves as the season goes on should they not have considered sending him to the Tour Down Under in January?

Yes...that might have been a good idea......Cadel Evans is starting his training for the Giro at the TDU and by the time May comes around Nico might be where he would be in August another year

Maybe you should get on to Bjarne

AnotherView

OLeg Tinkov has a stero typical view of Irish as drinkers it seems...no surprise there

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/roche-welcomes-riis-role-in-tinkoff-saxo-set-up

Russman

AnotherView wrote: »

OLeg Tinkov has a stero typical view of Irish as drinkers it seems...no surprise there

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/roche-welcomes-riis-role-in-tinkoff-saxo-set-up

Ahh that Tinkov lad definitely knows what he's talking about alright, sure he even said there's no doping in cycling.

Lusk_Doyle

AnotherView wrote: »

OLeg Tinkov has a stero typical view of Irish as drinkers it seems...no surprise there

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/roche-welcomes-riis-role-in-tinkoff-saxo-set-up

While he chows down on some smirnoff and caviar in a palace heated by coal mined by his slaves in some remote gulag in Novosibirsk or somewhere!

Diarmuid

This doesn't sound great. https://twitter.com/nicholasroche/status/416181278866931712

nico roche wrote:

Bad news after mri... Damaged knee 😟 no bike for a bit :-((

dastardly00

Diarmuid wrote: »

This doesn't sound great. https://twitter.com/nicholasroche/status/416181278866931712

Any idea what Nico is on about?

Zyzz

dastardly00 wrote: »

Any idea what Nico is on about?

His MRI results have shown damage in his knee..so he will be off the bike for a bit

MPFG

So who thinks Nico should stay at Tinkoff Saxo after 2014 (if kept) as his contract is up this year. He seems to get very good training there but I doubt he can be a leader in a Grand Tour again with Contador, Majka & Kreuziger
I, unlike many here think, he is physically able to do well in a grand tour.....mentally/emotionally is another thing altogether

I guess my point is highlighted by this interview with Chris Juul Jensen to a Danish media outlet )when asked about riding for captains Roche & Majka in the Giro ....(before Roche lost the 15 minutes)

He talks only about Makja qualities including strength and peace of personality and lack of stress....... (possible opposite to Roche ???)

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=da&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.feltet.dk%2Fnyheder%2Fdansker_lovpriser_majka_gennemfoert_god_kaptajn%2F

godtabh

MPFG wrote: »

So who thinks Nico should stay at Tinkoff Saxo after 2014 (if kept) as his contract is up this year. He seems to get very good training there but I doubt he can be a leader in a Grand Tour again with Contador, Majka & Kreuziger
I, unlike many here think, he is physically able to do well in a grand tour.....mentally/emotionally is another thing altogether

I guess my point is highlighted by this interview with Chris Juul Jensen to a Danish media outlet )when asked about riding for captains Roche & Majka in the Giro ....(before Roche lost the 15 minutes)

He talks only about Makja qualities including strength and peace of personality and lack of stress....... (possible opposite to Roche ???)

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=da&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.feltet.dk%2Fnyheder%2Fdansker_lovpriser_majka_gennemfoert_god_kaptajn%2F

I think it was clear to all the Makja was always the leader for the Giro. Roche has improved alot. Saxo give him what he needs in terms of coaching and direction which I dont think he has had before.

Cant remember which race it was in but he had Barney in his ear on a TT and his performance was excellent. IF he can find a team with that one to one management of him I think he can do well.

He wont be a start at Saxo. Not this year anyway. All he can hope for is a stage one in the Giro or TdF. I dont see him at Saxo next year. I dont think his contract will be renewed.

gordongekko

With Saxo talking to basso and sagan they will surely have to release a few riders. Anyone any ideas what team would actually suit him?

godtabh

wasn't in negotiations whit Sky last year before signing for Saxo?

MPFG

Love to see him at OGE, Garmin or BMC

I think Tinkoff will not renew CAS,Breschel,Bennatti , etc but think they would keep Roche as he is good and a name plus they need good riders for support in grand tours and he is a good helper...depends on his price

Its whether he should stay or not ....I think not

dastardly00

godtabh wrote: »

Cant remember which race it was in but he had Barney in his ear on a TT and his performance was excellent.

It must have been the Vuelta ITT from last year in which he came 6th (behind Cancellara, Tony Martin, Pozzovivo, Nibali and Dario Cataldo).

laraghrider

Well the strong rumours (alonso has said it) are that Contador will be moving out of Saxo next year to the Alonso team. What ever team that turns out to be. Bertie really likes Nico so I can see him moving over there with him. This is also why Saxo are talking to Basso and Sagan which is also spreading a completely unverified rumor that cannondale will merge with Saxo. Alonso has already said that his team will be riding Specialized which makes sense considering they are 50% owners of Bertie's contract.

As for Nico I'm not sure that move would be good for him. I can't see him staying at Saxo next season as Oleg has said he wants to target more stage results than GC. OGE would be a woeful move for him and them I think. Garmin could possibly be a good move as would BMC but I don't think Roche would sit well within the defined hierarchy of Sky. Here is a team I'm going to throw out there as they are at a bit of a cross roads at the minute. Trek!

MPFG

Contador's contract is until end of 2015 ...Alonzo would have to buy him out and can't see that....Also Contador loves Riis so can't see him going without Riis...but could be wrong
Nico's contract up this year

I think Roche would make a fine one day/stage hunter but he won't be happy with that hence the question should he stay or should he go

Besides SKY & Movistar , Tinkoff Sax are very GT GC heavy and something has to give

OGE want to grow GC capabilities and have Yates twins ...not a bad choice..Nico has loads of mates in this team
Garmin have Dan but need further GC talent
Lotto have only Jurgen Van den Brook and he is almost always injured
Trek also say they want to grow GT talent ...If the Schlecks don't improve they have Kirserloski, Orredondo but could do with more

To be frank I think any of the above would welcome Roche and allow him to ride as captain in a GT which won't happen at TCS

gordongekko

Lampre? Chris Horner will surely retire this year and they have a nice little squad.

MPFG

gordongekko wrote: »

Lampre? Chris Horner will surely retire this year and they have a nice little squad.

Horner and Evans are never going to retire

OF course the best team in the world at the moment IMO is OPQS

They have best TTers,Best sprint train and probably sprinter, best classics team& up and coming best GT GC team

Chips Lovell

Cunego and Ulissi are very similar riders to Roche, so I can't see Lampre as a good fit.

pelevin

I've heard Horner is targeting the 2024 Olympics road race after which he will probably call it a day, so there could be hole to fill then.

dastardly00

Lampre have Rui Costa as well.

MPFG

Lots of Contador fans on Cycling news saying Roche should not be taken to the Tour as he is a poor domestique and only wants t ride fro himself, citing Tour last year & Giro this year

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=17321&page=1462

Inquitus

MPFG wrote: »

Lots of Contador fans on Cycling news saying Roche should not be taken to the Tour as he is a poor domestique and only wants t ride fro himself, citing Tour last year & Giro this year

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=17321&page=1462

Only Saxo Tinkoff and Bertie can judge that, alot of the hard work done by the Domestiques occurs before live coverage even kicks off on TV, the Cyclingnews forum fanboys don't know their arse from their elbow half the time.

wirelessdude01

MPFG wrote: »

Lots of Contador fans on Cycling news saying Roche should not be taken to the Tour as he is a poor domestique and only wants t ride fro himself, citing Tour last year & Giro this year

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=17321&page=1462

Whatever about the tour last year but in the Giro this year I'm assuming that the breaks he was in were endorsed by the team and as such he was following orders. Very easy to be a keyboard warrior.

GetWithIt

Doesn't really tally with my recollection of last years Tour.

happytramp

To be fair I can understand why they think that. He was completely absent on a lot of the mountain stages in the Tour and went on to come fifth in the Vuelta, hanging in on all the tough climbs. Of course he may have worked very hard early in the stages but I'd be lying if I said it never crossed my mind that he had one eye on the Vuelta last July.

MPFG

happytramp wrote: »

To be fair I can understand why they think that. He was completely absent on a lot of the mountain stages in the Tour and went on to come fifth in the Vuelta, hanging in on all the tough climbs. Of course he may have worked very hard early in the stages but I'd be lying if I said it never crossed my mind that he had one eye on the Vuelta last July.

I don't think he was as good a climbing domestique in the Tour as he should have been and also in Giro....but I don't think he was because he didn't try or want to try.....he just wasn't in form for climbing at both Tour & Giro (and crashed) ...though he did work very hard on some of the flatter stages in the Tour and on the day Dan Martin won....Also on the first day in Pyrenees he did chase having been dropped and did get back on ...if he was distanced at the end ...but hardly someone not trying

I suppose also if you are used of riding in the peloton and hanging in there until the end then its probably not easy to switch to pulling at front ??

I think he worked very hard for Roman Kreuziger in Tour of Suisse and San Sebastian...and I felt Kreuziger owed him somewhat for his two 3rd places...but then he is best buddies with Kreuziger ???

He did do a very good pull on the Stelvio in Giro but it was all for nought when they stopped ...

happytramp

Also, Contador is not like Froome and Wiggins. He doesn't need guys to pace him up a mountain, although it's good to have someone nearby in case of a mechanical. I think where he'll really need them is to chase back breaks that go on earlier climbs or on the flatter sections between climbs. I'm sure if he had more guys with him the other day he would have had them try and help sky pull back the Talansky group.

godtabh

happytramp wrote: »

Also, Contador is not like Froome and Wiggins. He doesn't need guys to pace him up a mountain, although it's good to have someone nearby in case of a mechanical. I think where he'll really need them is to chase back breaks that go on earlier climbs or on the flatter sections between climbs. I'm sure if he had more guys with him the other day he would have had them try and help sky pull back the Talansky group.

More guys? I think any guys would have done him last week.

I think Roche worked when he had to. He's been fairly clear in is Indo. When GC went he was going for stages and this was a team decision from what I can make out

Shakakan

Nico is riding the Route du Sud, starting tomorrow, and is going to miss the Nationals..

MPFG

Shakakan wrote: »

Nico is riding the Route du Sud, starting tomorrow, and is going to miss the Nationals..

Poor Nico has to go where he is told especially if his results this year haven't been as expected

He had said up to recently he was going to the Nationals ...so I'd say he was told otherwise

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/06/nicolas-roche-its-going-to-be-one-of-the-most-exciting-tours-of-recent-years/

GetWithIt

Shakakan wrote: »

Nico is riding the Route du Sud, starting tomorrow, and is going to miss the Nationals..

Route takes in the Tourmalet and the Col D'Aspin. Are these in the tour? Hints at a more focused approach to this years event. Maybe driven by Alberto's form in the Dauphine.

dastardly00

GetWithIt wrote: »

Route takes in the Tourmalet and the Col D'Aspin. Are these in the tour? Hints at a more focused approach to this years event. Maybe driven by Alberto's form in the Dauphine.

The Tourmalet features on Stage 18 of le Tour.

fortis

Shakakan wrote: »

Nico is riding the Route du Sud, starting tomorrow, and is going to miss the Nationals..

Is he really? I thought he was a definite for the nationals. That's a pity

dastardly00

Live streaming of the finish line of Stage 1 here (from the official race website).
About 6km left.

dastardly00

There are no highlights of this race on TV later etc. so there's no need for spoiler tags.....

The Spanish National Champion, Jesus Herrada (Movistar), attacked with a few kilometres to go and held on to take the win by only a few seconds.

2nd was Valverde, 3rd was Bouhanni and 4th was Nico

Good sprint finish from Nico. And an excellent finish from Bouhanni considering just about all of the last 30km were uphill (including two Cat. 3 climbs).

retalivity

just saw the profile...dafuq was bouhanni doing there???

godtabh

Did very well today!

Stage win and first over all

Pudsy33

Are there highlights anywhere?

velopeloton

retalivity wrote: »

just saw the profile...dafuq was bouhanni doing there???

He was in the break today, over Col du Tourmalet 3 minutes ahead of the bunch.

velopeloton

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Are there highlights anywhere?

There will be highlights on Youtube later.

retalivity

godtabh wrote: »

Did very well today!

Stage win and first over all

...awaiting mpfg...

TheBlaaMan

There is no coverage of this, so hopefully spoiler alerts are not required....






GC position
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race.php?id=138684

Looks like it was a good team effort with Rogers taking second on the day.