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Nico Roche (Ag2r) Interview - What do you want to know?

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joe_papp

joe_papp

May 13, 2009
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Much as I did last year before interviewing Borut Božič, I'd like to give you - the fans of professional cycling - an opportunity to shape an upcoming interview with Nicolas Roche by putting-forward your own questions for the AG2R La Mondiale rider.

Please leave your questions here in this thread, in the form of a reply, and I will pull the best ones to use in the interview. Please don't leave doping-related questions, though, as this isn't the right forum for that, and it will be a minor part of the conversation with him anyway (I ask seriously that you respect this caveat, but anything else goes!). If you have commentary that you'd like not to make public, just PM it to me and I'll do my best to reply ASAP.

I can't overstate the value of your sharing your feedback before the interview begins, as knowing what you'd like to know will make for a more focused and (hopefully) engaging conversation.

Please submit your questions as quickly as possible, as one doesn't want to keep waiting the man who admitted in print that he wanted to smash-in the head of his own (disloyal?) teammate... ;)

roche.jpg


I look forward to hearing from you all. The quality of the interview can only improve with greater audience participation, so fire away!

THANKS!

JP
 
joe_papp

joe_papp

May 13, 2009
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Digger said:
Nicholas, your fellow countryman PK, has asked you to publicly express your disapproval for dopers and for Alberto in particular. Will you be doing this? Are you angry that you are being beaten by dopers such as AC? If so, why are you not voicing your disapproval more vociferously? Do you see how silence, when a leading GC rider tests positive, can be exasperating to the public?
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"Please don't leave doping-related questions, though, as this isn't the right forum for that, and it will be a minor part of the conversation with him anyway (I ask seriously that you respect this caveat, but anything else goes!)."
 
taiwan

taiwan

Aug 18, 2009
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Will you be riding your own Tour this year, or will this be the year to try and stay with the Bigs?

Are there any others on AG2R that you'd like to flag up as riders who're developing in a particularly exciting way: ones to watch?

Tactically, what effect do you think Bert's absence from the Tour will have on someone like yourself, looking for a top ten? Will it be a slower or a faster race?
 
La Pandera

La Pandera

Jul 18, 2010
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Nicholas, based on your recent performances I see you as an improving contender in the hilly one day races like LBL and GdL. Will events like these be part of your goals for 2011? Also you've shown steady improvement in the grand tours. Can we expect to see you continuing to improve upon your overall finish in the gc or will you be pursuing stage wins?

My last is you have what one would call matinee idol good looks, are you now or have you considered acting or modeling in your spare time? One shot in particular in one of the cycling mags brought to mind the old black and white head shots that one would see of the great actors of the 40's and 50's.

You're doing a great job! Continue the great work and good luck in future!
 
D

Digger

May 10, 2009
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joe_papp said:
"Please don't leave doping-related questions, though, as this isn't the right forum for that, and it will be a minor part of the conversation with him anyway (I ask seriously that you respect this caveat, but anything else goes!)."
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Edit - I had a response, but can't be bothered. Am editing the above comment also. I feel this stuff is pertinent, needs to be asked. Others clearly feel differently.
 
Willy_Voet

Willy_Voet

May 2, 2009
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Digger said:
Well Joe - head, sand comes to mind, considering what's going on. Aren't there enough interviewers out there not asking the tough questions. Why bother.......:rolleyes:
Joe for someone so articulate and intelligent, you baffle me. This interview and your last thread about the riders's rights not being respected.
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How hard is it to PM him with your type of question? You are a dolt.

joe_papp said:
If you have commentary that you'd like not to make public, just PM it to me and I'll do my best to reply ASAP.
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nvpacchi

nvpacchi

Mar 13, 2009
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Being the son of a Grand Tour Champ, World Champ, etc. etc. was it a formality that you would also follow down the same path? Did your father direct you towards a cycling career, or was it more of an independent decision?
 
D

Digger

May 10, 2009
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Willy_Voet said:
How hard is it to PM him with your type of question? You are a dolt.
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Well thanks for the insult. It was none of your business, but if you were able to read, you'd see he said 'if you don't want to make it public.' I wanted to make it public. Are you able to follow that now? Will I break it down more for you?
Or should i brace myself for more name calling...:rolleyes:
 
D

Digger

May 10, 2009
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Joe I wasn't going to reply this but here it goes....
you baffle me. You have the opportunity to ask some very pertinent questions to a leading cyclist, with a big name, and you skirt the issue like the other thousands of journalists who bury their heads in the sand. We need the views of Roche, we need him to be up front and dominant. This is so f***ing frustrating - you have the chance, and the usual stuff is going to e asked....just like the countless other interviews that appear in CycleSport and other such mags. You are intelligent, articulate but I just don't understand how this can play such a small part.
 
ferryman

ferryman

Dec 30, 2009
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What is your target as a Pro rider. Is there one race you would really like to win. Do you see yourself as a GT contender in the next few years or are stage wins what you are aiming for.

Are you a better climber than your cousin:cool:
 
Barrus

Barrus

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Apr 28, 2010
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How do you get along with Gadret since the incident last year and how do you expect will this influence the coming year and the decision in who is choosen to ride what?
 
Roland Rat

Roland Rat

Apr 28, 2010
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For how long does he intend to target the Tour de France GC, does he believe he will ever have a chance of winning overall, what would constitute a successful position for him, and does he ever envisage giving the classics a proper go?
 
auscyclefan94

auscyclefan94

Jun 16, 2009
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Do you feel more pressure by people to follow in your father's footsteps or is the pressure to peform self imposed?
 
The Hitch

The Hitch

Jun 14, 2010
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1 Monsieur Nicholas. Do you eagerly follow the Sport of Professional Road Cycling, when you are not competing. Did you for example watch the Giro d Italia and discuss its awesomness with teamates last year or do you focus more on the races you ride?

2 Mr Roche. Do you think the sport of road cycling is popular in Ireland? I noticed that in a Irish paddy power poll from 2009, Sean Kelly was only ranked the 6th greatest irish athlete, whereas in Belgium, Italy, France and Spain, the names "Merckx, Coppi Bartali, Poulidor Hinault and Indurain were right up there in similar polls.

3 Mr Nicholas. You are the son of a Giro winner and world champion as well as Tour winner, and come from a country with Sean Kelly, the greatest rider never to win the Tour de France (or world championship for that matter). You wrote pieces for the Irish independent during La Vuelta. But outside Ireland, many other anglophile riders base their entire seasons simply on the Tour. Lance of course did only the Tour for 7 years, and nowadays people like Wiggins, and to a lesser extent Cadel Evans follow step. Mark Cavendish gets not a word in the British papers for Milan San Remo or Vuelta green, and cited simply as the guy who won 5 tdf stages. Is it worrying that anglophile countries focus so much on that 1 race in July at expense of all others?

(Christ thats long. FtP would be proud ;)feel free to cut parts out of this one joe)

4 Niko. Do you agree that John Gadret is Frances best Grand Tour rider:D

5 Nicholas Roche. What do you say to Pat Mcqauids statement that 2 of the historical Grand tours - the Giro and the Vuelta (at which you put up such an amazing display) should be cut in both prestige and length to make room for the Tour of California
 
S

Sanitiser

Jan 20, 2011
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Would you rather be know as a stereotypical talented but lazy French rider or a hard working but untalented Irish rider?
 
L

lefrancais

Jan 4, 2011
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Nico...
I am a Frenchman asking you.

1- Since..our french riders..get paid too much and are not interested in riding..since the cheque is in the mail regardless..
would you be considering riding for the french championship ? and most importantly would you ride the World as a Frenchman so we might have a chance to see the rainbow jersey on a Frenchman?

2- I enjoy reading your blog about your day to day at the tour...so keep it up.
on that topic...( the tour), It is a shame to see you isolated on the though/hilly stage of the tour..what about trying to get a real team to support you? SInce AG2R does not want you to depart..how about putting pressure to get better team mate...? for ex. getting rid of Gadret the selfish P..ck

Merci Buckets.
 
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