CYCLING:TWO DAYS into the Tour de France, Nicolas Roche is encouraged with how things have gone thus far. Being 41st overall, 50 seconds back, doesn't sound spectacular, but because of his disrupted build-up for the race due to a bad crash in the Criterium du Dauphiné, plus the nature of yesterday's stage, he feels things have gone well.

The Ag2r La Mondiale rider placed 19th on Saturday’s opening stage, avoiding the crashes which twice decimated the peloton and which led to race favourite Alberto Contador losing one minute 20 seconds. In contrast Roche was six seconds behind stage winner Philippe Gilbert of Omega Pharma Lotto.

“It was important for the head to hang up with the top guys. I was definitely not the most comfortable, but then again it would have been too easy if I was flying on the first day after five days not riding due to the crash in the Dauphine. I’m happy with how it went.

“It’s the same for the team time trial. We were ninth in Montpellier two years ago but that was on a tougher course. This time, the course is flat and we have a lot of climbers on the team that the time trial didn’t suit. I said beforehand to the guys that we could be happy if we lost less than a minute to the best team; we were 53 seconds back in 13th, so that was good.

“It’s not really about the overall position I’m in now, but more about not giving up time to my rivals. What is important is not losing ground to those I’ll be fighting with for the overall classification. So things have gone to plan.”

Today’s third stage is a flat 198km from Olonne-sur-Mer to Redon. It’s almost certain to end in a bunch sprint, meaning the biggest goal for Roche will be to steer clear of the many crashes which litter the first week of the Tour.