NICOLAS ROCHE has moved a step closer to selection for the Tour de France, with the Ag2r La Mondiale squad confirming this week that he is on the shortlist for the team.
“We can’t give the team for the Tour yet, but we can say that Nicolas Roche could take part in this year’s Tour,” said a team official this week. “He’s on the “pre-list”. The exact list will be known after the French national championship on June 28th.”
Roche’s most recent race was the Dauphiné Libéré, where he finished sixth on stage two and 81st overall.
Roche (24) has never ridden the Tour, but a number of good results this season ensure he has a strong chance of taking part.
His first cousin Daniel Martin finished a solid 32nd overall in the Dauphiné. The 22-year-old is also thought to be in the running, although his Garmin Chipotle team is yet to confirm this.
Martin and Philip Deignan (Cervélo Test Team) are, like Roche, also expected to return for the Irish championships on Sunday week.
Before then, the Irish criterium championships will take place on Wednesday in Meadowmount, Dundrum. This year it has been incorporated into the popular Stephen Roche Grand Prix, which was won by Roche junior last year. This year’s race will include the usual clutch of intermediate sprints, and its 7.15pm start will be preceded by underage races.
In other news, the Irish-registered An Post M Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team scooped a fine win on Sunday when Steven Van Vooren took the 2.2 Tour de l’Oise in France.
The Belgian was second to Tour de France stage winner Jimmy Casper on the opening stage, then moved into the lead 24 hours later. He increased his lead when he won Saturday’s penultimate stage, then he and the team defended the jersey until the end.
Next up for the team is the 2.2-ranked Boucles de la Mayenne, which began late yesterday evening with a 4.5 km prologue. It continues until Sunday. Van Vooren will be joined by several team-mates, including FBD Rás stage winner Niko Eeckhout and Irish rider David O’Loughlin.
A number of races this weekend include the Newry 3-day and the Paddy Flanagan Memorial.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Friday-Sunday:Newry Three-day (pre-entry necessary). Saturday:IVCA 10TT champs, starts Enfield at 9.15. Saturday-Sunday:Paddy Flanagan Memorial Two-day, Kildare, stage one starts 1pm. Sunday:Connacht RR championships IVCA 70km, Curragh, starts 9.15; John Drumm Memorial, Currow (for information contact Eamon Collier at 087-2837115).
