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Nicolas Roche Discussion Thread

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Jeepers_ie said:
He didn't scold him, he told us that he scolded him. He's writing a genuine journal, with tidbits on what goes on in a GT. Would you rather the sanitized rubbish we get from the younger Luxemburger?
I see little reason to scold him in the first place, but even then it's a team matter. You may call it "sanitized rubbish", I call it respecting some universal codes.
 
hrotha said:
I see little reason to scold him in the first place, but even then it's a team matter. You may call it "sanitized rubbish", I call it respecting some universal codes.

I think it's fair enough to tell someone that if they are so tired that they have to be released from team duties for a day or two that they should be in bed rather than out shopping for gifts. I tend to agree though that it's another thing to then mention the criticism in a newspaper diary.

There's a fine line between giving readers an insight into the real dynamics of a team in a Grand Tour and unnecessarily criticising a team mate in public. In more than thirty quite long articles, Roche has talked about his teammates in some detail but pretty much always in positive terms. He's only twice criticised them. Once (the Gadret incident in the Tour) it was entirely justified and probably a better response than actually lamping him one. On this occasion though it struck me as a bit petty.
 
Sep 2, 2009
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Zinoviev Letter said:
I think it's fair enough to tell someone that if they are so tired that they have to be released from team duties for a day or two that they should be in bed rather than out shopping for gifts. I tend to agree though that it's another thing to then mention the criticism in a newspaper diary.

There's a fine line between giving readers an insight into the real dynamics of a team in a Grand Tour and unnecessarily criticising a team mate in public. In more than thirty quite long articles, Roche has talked about his teammates in some detail but pretty much always in positive terms. He's only twice criticised them. Once (the Gadret incident in the Tour) it was entirely justified and probably a better response than actually lamping him one. On this occasion though it struck me as a bit petty.

I guess it depends on how you read it. I read it as Roche making a comment on who someone inexperienced can get carried away and not conserve his energy properly. He already praised the guy for his performances so far.
 
Apr 1, 2009
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Honestly, at the Tour and after it, I didn't really buy into the whole "Nicholas Roche GT rider" thing.
But, he's really impressed me this Vuelta. Hope he can develop further.
Same goes for Velits who is a year younger.
The real test comes tomorrow and on the penultimate stage. Multiple climbs + a MTF is a whole different prospect than a single climb at the end of a flat stage.
 
Sep 2, 2009
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Zoncolan said:
Honestly, at the Tour and after it, I didn't really buy into the whole "Nicholas Roche GT rider" thing.
But, he's really impressed me this Vuelta. Hope he can develop further.
Same goes for Velits who is a year younger.
The real test comes tomorrow and on the penultimate stage. Multiple climbs + a MTF is a whole different prospect than a single climb at the end of a flat stage.


Yes, so do I, but honestly, I don't see him winning one. I do think that he has potential for the shorter stage races and one days like the Ardennes Classics.
 
theswordsman said:
No. But Stephen did win the Tour and the Giro in 1987.

It was interesting to read the journal entry where he wouldn't go shopping with the guys because it's his responsibility to save all his energy for the race. That's way different than another 25 year old who started the race, I hope he finishes top five.

Swords mate I knew that - i was just setting it straight with the other poster. One of my earliest sporting memories is of La PLagne and the oxygen death - me being irish and all.
 
Zoncolan said:
Honestly, at the Tour and after it, I didn't really buy into the whole "Nicholas Roche GT rider" thing.
But, he's really impressed me this Vuelta. Hope he can develop further.
Same goes for Velits who is a year younger.
The real test comes tomorrow and on the penultimate stage. Multiple climbs + a MTF is a whole different prospect than a single climb at the end of a flat stage.

His prep for the TdF was badly interrupted by a torn hamstring in late may which almost ended his participation. A good ride in that race all things considered - could have sneaked into top ten with everything going his way. Gadret acting a d*** being one example.
 
Does Roche actually write /type the irish independent GT articles himself? Or - Does he dictate them to someone?

Or does someone have a go at them and he verifies them?

Looking at his tweets and evidence of broken English/French in interviews the articles are suspiciously fluid
 
Jeepers_ie said:
I guess it depends on how you read it. I read it as Roche making a comment on who someone inexperienced can get carried away and not conserve his energy properly. He already praised the guy for his performances so far.

Talking of not conserving energy properly, is it really worth his while chasing 4 second bonuses at intermediate sprints, when the additional energy output could result in losing contact with a climbing group later in the stage? Might he have finished alongside Velits or Danielson yesterday, rather than losing 36 and 17 seconds respectively, if he hadn't taken part in the sprint?

One would have to wonder whether more energy was spent on having his girlfriend visit for three days than Kadri expended wandering around some duty free shops :p

Today's Independent article, covering the weekend's racing: Does he type this sitting down or lying down?
 
Basecase said:
Does Roche actually write /type the irish independent GT articles himself? Or - Does he dictate them to someone?

Or does someone have a go at them and he verifies them?

Looking at his tweets and evidence of broken English/French in interviews the articles are suspiciously fluid

As I understand it, he writes them himself. Normally the Irish broadsheets have an "in conversation with" credit if the column is written by a journalist. I don't think that tweets or speech patterns in an interview are very good predictors of written fluency, either way.
 
Oct 27, 2009
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Nic like his dad Stephen has lots of ability.Is he a classics cyclist or a grand tour cyclist?As far as I know he is not the greatest at TT's.His dad was superb in this discipline.He seems to be an all rounder,to win a grand tour shouldn't you be a specialised at two things.

I think he could be a really good classics cyclist,who can challenge for a grand tour.I little like Cadel Evans,I said a little like.
 
Sep 2, 2009
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horizon27 said:
Nic like his dad Stephen has lots of ability.Is he a classics cyclist or a grand tour cyclist?As far as I know he is not the greatest at TT's.His dad was superb in this discipline.He seems to be an all rounder,to win a grand tour shouldn't you be a specialised at two things.

I think he could be a really good classics cyclist,who can challenge for a grand tour.I little like Cadel Evans,I said a little like.

I was actually thinking that (apart from Nico being a more aggressive rider, and not being such a good TT rider). The main thing they have in common is that they're not pure climbers, but can limit their losses to those guys pretty well.
 
Sep 14, 2010
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Have been watching this guy pretty closely.

His 2009 TDF showed a guy without fear, his performance was aggressive (enthusiastic) and I started to keep an eye out for him from there.

I think his team will back him fully now based on 2010 performances in the TDF/ Vuelta and they should target improvements in his climbing and TT. He needs to lose weight and improve technique for both. I'd love to see him get the backing to focus on both for the next 9 months.

Mentally he is feroucious and he's super-competitive.

His diary is a brilliant insight into pro-cycling teams and tactics. He writes without fear or bull****. The earlier comment about keeping things within the team missed the point on that one.

For me professional cycling has produced the hardest *******s of any sport. This guy has a chance of getting up there with the hardest of them.....
 
Feb 14, 2010
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Just read this in an interview, and was a bit stunned. Some GC riders go to wind tunnels with experts to work on their Time Trial positions, train on their TT bikes on a regular basis to get used to the position, make adjustments, etcetera. Roche doesn't even have a bike to practice on.

So, while his climbing is clearly improving, he needs to become stronger in the race against the clock if he is to fight for the podium in the Grand Tours. One thing he can do to gain is to get a time trial bike to use at home; surprisingly, he doesn’t yet have this, even though many of the sport’s top time trialists regularly train on their machines in order to get used to the more extreme position.

Roche knows that this is something he needs to ensure is corrected by the Ag2r La Mondiale squad. “I think it is one of the most important details to help progress, to have a TT bike at home. I think most of the riders do,” he said. “French teams are not the best for that yet, though. But, slowly and surely…”
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5...ta-result-now-eyeing-world-championships.aspx
 
May 15, 2009
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Sep 25, 2009
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theswordsman said:
That's a shame. He should be making decent money now - even if he buys his own it would be worth it for his career.

Who is their bike sponsor?

Yeah wouldn't the bike sponsor be happy to give one even if he asked personally.
 
Jul 19, 2010
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theswordsman said:
Just read this in an interview, and was a bit stunned. Some GC riders go to wind tunnels with experts to work on their Time Trial positions, train on their TT bikes on a regular basis to get used to the position, make adjustments, etcetera. Roche doesn't even have a bike to practice on.


http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5...ta-result-now-eyeing-world-championships.aspx

He mentioned this in in diary for the Irish Independent, and it looks likely to be resolved without him having to change teams.

"The team agreed that it's an elementary mistake for someone at my level not to be able to train on the time trial bike"

Cycling is described as poker on wheels. Now, I'm the only card we have left
 
Sep 23, 2009
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I was just about to post the last one, I'd love to have been at the post race party.

He tells a great story, I wonder how the Indo journalist felt after three weeks in the shaddle?
 
I actually wanted to ask this question. So bumped this thread.
Why isn't Nicholas Roche in Sky? It is an English speaking team with HQ close to Ireland. Plus he will probably get the benefit of support to improve his skills. He's already decided to ride as domestique for Saxo-Tinkoff. Why not do that for Sky? Or is it the English-Irish thing? But there are many Irish footballers playing for English clubs without any problems.
 

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