Nicolas Roche

Noosa
Noosa Posts: 15
edited August 2009 in Pro race
Thought the Irish guy was brilliant at this years Tour. It would be great to see him get into one of the bigger teams...Maybe Lance might look in his direction.

Comments

  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    Noosa wrote:
    Thought the Irish guy was brilliant at this years Tour. It would be great to see him get into one of the bigger teams...Maybe Lance might look in his direction.

    AG2R isnt that small, nor was Credit Agricole. Granted they are not Saxo Bank or Astana... but why go to obe of those teams when it would be harder for him to secure a Tour place...

    I hope to God he doesnt go to Radio Shack.. that would be the end of any chance he would have at winning stages in the Tour next year... Dont you realise that riding for Lance in the Tour means you have no opportunity to do anything yourself?

    Anyway, Roche's natural talent and lineage will open many doors for him, if needs be.
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  • GyatsoLa
    GyatsoLa Posts: 667
    He had a blog published in an Irish newspaper - it was very interesting, he seems a very bright guy. But its clear reading between the lines that he wasn't very happy when Nocentini did so well early on to get the yellow - he lost lots of time in having to ride as wingman with the sole intention of keeping the yellow as long as possible. I reckon he might have edged into the top 10 if he had been able to ride his own race, not bad for someone his age.
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    Noosa wrote:
    Thought the Irish guy was brilliant at this years Tour. It would be great to see him get into one of the bigger teams...Maybe Lance might look in his direction.
    Surely he must regret having declared for Ireland now that he probably would have no trouble getting a spot in the french WC lineup.
  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    GyatsoLa wrote:
    He had a blog published in an Irish newspaper - it was very interesting, he seems a very bright guy. But its clear reading between the lines that he wasn't very happy when Nocentini did so well early on to get the yellow - he lost lots of time in having to ride as wingman with the sole intention of keeping the yellow as long as possible. I reckon he might have edged into the top 10 if he had been able to ride his own race, not bad for someone his age.

    Thats right... on the stage to Arcalis he lost a shed load of time as he had to drive the chase for Nocentini... So you can imagine what he would have to do if he road for the Lance Shack... I reckon if he lost 4-7kg he could do a bradley... Roche started his career as a sprinter and you can see that he is carrying some muscular bulk on the upper body... But the guy has raw natural talent, the same with his first cousin Dan Martin :-)
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  • stagehopper
    stagehopper Posts: 1,593
    GyatsoLa wrote:
    He had a blog published in an Irish newspaper - it was very interesting, he seems a very bright guy. But its clear reading between the lines that he wasn't very happy when Nocentini did so well early on to get the yellow - he lost lots of time in having to ride as wingman with the sole intention of keeping the yellow as long as possible. I reckon he might have edged into the top 10 if he had been able to ride his own race, not bad for someone his age.

    His dad was saying on Eurosport that the AG2R DS came up to Nicholas later in the race and admitted the team had made a mistake in their strategy and should have put more faith into Roche and protected him rather than getting him to do so much work to keep Noncentini in yellow, particularly after his fine performance in the GC of the Vuelta last season.
    @stagehopper
  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    samb01 wrote:
    Noosa wrote:
    Thought the Irish guy was brilliant at this years Tour. It would be great to see him get into one of the bigger teams...Maybe Lance might look in his direction.
    Surely he must regret having declared for Ireland now that he probably would have no trouble getting a spot in the french WC lineup.


    Why would he regret?
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  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    Because he'll never win the WC riding on his own (well with 2 others) for Ireland but might hve ended up as a protected French rider on strong team
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  • emadden
    emadden Posts: 2,431
    calvjones wrote:
    Because he'll never win the WC riding on his own (well with 2 others) for Ireland but might hve ended up as a protected French rider on strong team

    Fair point, but he may have to fight for a place on the French team... But then Im also reminded that his father did... Him and Kelly. Early and Kimmage were there too, but they fell away early
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  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    emadden wrote:
    calvjones wrote:
    Because he'll never win the WC riding on his own (well with 2 others) for Ireland but might hve ended up as a protected French rider on strong team

    Fair point, but he may have to fight for a place on the French team... But then Im also reminded that his father did... Him and Kelly. Early and Kimmage were there too, but they fell away early


    2 things.

    Kimmage and Early did immense work in the early stages to keep Roche and Kelly where they needed to be.

    With the French ranking at the moment, they'll only have six riders anyway.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • Noosa
    Noosa Posts: 15
    I wasn't suggesting that a move to Radio Shack would be the best thing for Nico as regards his chances of winnning races, maybe more of a development thing (if he needs that!) but just that I felt his performances had put him in a place where teams like Radio Shack would be eyeing him up. I certainly think that he would be a better option than Brice Feiliu, if the reports are to be believed.

    On declaring for France - he is Irish to the core!
    On winning the World's - the Irish team is not that weak at all. Dan Martin has already been mentioned and there are a number of other good eggs there too e.g David O Loughlin.

    Those blogs in the Irish Times were excellent - the report of the confrontation with Benatti ,I think, was excellent. Lance's advice to Nico when he raised it with him in seemed a bit biased...
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    Noosa wrote:
    On declaring for France - he is Irish to the core!
    On winning the World's - the Irish team is not that weak at all. Dan Martin has already been mentioned
    Ah, Dan Martin, another 'Irish to the core' rider. But hey, atleast his mother tongue is English.
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    samb01 wrote:
    Noosa wrote:
    On declaring for France - he is Irish to the core!
    On winning the World's - the Irish team is not that weak at all. Dan Martin has already been mentioned
    Ah, Dan Martin, another 'Irish to the core' rider. But hey, atleast his mother tongue is English.

    His mother being born in Dublin and all...
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Timoid. wrote:
    samb01 wrote:
    Noosa wrote:
    On declaring for France - he is Irish to the core!
    On winning the World's - the Irish team is not that weak at all. Dan Martin has already been mentioned
    Ah, Dan Martin, another 'Irish to the core' rider. But hey, atleast his mother tongue is English.

    His mother being born in Dublin and all...

    My friend was born in Saudi Arabia, doesn't make him Saudi Arabian :wink:
    I like bikes...

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  • capilinconnemara
    capilinconnemara Posts: 117
    Like Nicholas Roche when given a choice by France,Dan Martin was given a choice byBC. track or no support. He made a professional decision and they said you'll get no support from us. Now that he has proven that they were wrong your knocking him for declaring for Ireland. Don't you think that its BC who has the problem not Dan Martin. And as his brother has followed suit it seems his English Father supports them fully
    Go neiri on bothar leat.
  • Noosa
    Noosa Posts: 15
    Reddragon

    Hope there is no suggestion that Nicolas Roche is anything but Irish...
    Dan was born in Birmingham but there is strong Irish roots there.

    Was Wiggo not born in Belgium?
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    capilinconnemara wrote:
    Dan Martin was given a choice byBC. track or no support. He made a professional decision and they said you'll get no support from us. Now that he has proven that they were wrong your knocking him for declaring for Ireland.
    Are you referring to me? I'm not knocking anyone, just teasing really.

    As for Roche, he is born in France, his mother tongue is French, and, lets not forget, initially declared for France. Did he change his mind because he suddenly realized he really is 'Irish to the core' or because riding for Ireland means he'll never miss out on a WC?
  • Noosa
    Noosa Posts: 15
    samb01

    Nice mocking of he Irish to the core comment...

    Mate, i think you are a bit off there on Roche. Yes he declared for France as he felt that he had no option as he was going to be based there for the rest of his days. He went to school in Blackrock in Dublin and how many years did he have racing in the Iirsh jersey until he was told to make a decision? In any event, have a read of this.

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/editions/fir ... er-11-2005
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    Noosa wrote:
    Yes he declared for France as he felt that he had no option as he was going to be based there for the rest of his days.
    That's absurd, and you know it.

    And I'm not out to mock, but claiming that Roche is 'Irish to the core' is just silly. He's a French kid with strong ties to Ireland.
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    GyatsoLa wrote:
    He had a blog published in an Irish newspaper - it was very interesting, he seems a very bright guy. But its clear reading between the lines that he wasn't very happy when Nocentini did so well early on to get the yellow - he lost lots of time in having to ride as wingman with the sole intention of keeping the yellow as long as possible. I reckon he might have edged into the top 10 if he had been able to ride his own race, not bad for someone his age.

    Of course the flip side of that had he been top ten early on he would have less oppotunities to be in breaks and he would more than likely been less prominent on the big screen
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • Noosa
    Noosa Posts: 15
    samb01 wrote:
    Noosa wrote:
    Yes he declared for France as he felt that he had no option as he was going to be based there for the rest of his days.
    That's absurd, and you know it.

    And I'm not out to mock, but claiming that Roche is 'Irish to the core' is just silly. He's a French kid with strong ties to Ireland.

    Little point in arguing with you after this comment samb01 but you are so far off the mark you are on the verge of being ignorant. Roche was born in France as Stephen was based there and he has spent alot of time there. How the hell you could call him a "French kid" is beyond me.

    Take a read of the link above. I think Roche's comments in his daily blog in the Irish Independent also make it quite clear, particularly on Friday 24th July where he said "Its relly great to get the support and it makes me really proud to be Irish..." One of many quotes.
  • SSheply
    SSheply Posts: 10
    samb01 wrote:
    Noosa wrote:
    Yes he declared for France as he felt that he had no option as he was going to be based there for the rest of his days.
    That's absurd, and you know it.

    And I'm not out to mock, but claiming that Roche is 'Irish to the core' is just silly. He's a French kid with strong ties to Ireland.


    YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING. Yep I think you are... Ah go on go on go on

    The Kid couldn't be more Irish.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,907
    Moray Gub wrote:

    Of course the flip side of that had he been top ten early on he would have less opportunities to be in breaks and he would more than likely been less prominent on the big screen

    very true
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • flattythehurdler
    flattythehurdler Posts: 2,314
    SSheply wrote:
    samb01 wrote:
    Noosa wrote:
    Yes he declared for France as he felt that he had no option as he was going to be based there for the rest of his days.
    That's absurd, and you know it.

    And I'm not out to mock, but claiming that Roche is 'Irish to the core' is just silly. He's a French kid with strong ties to Ireland.


    YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING. Yep I think you are... Ah go on go on go on

    The Kid couldn't be more Irish.
    Than a french born, french resident french speaker you mean? :)
    Dan
  • Colombiere
    Colombiere Posts: 1
    flattythehurdler wrote:
    Than a french born, french resident french speaker you mean? :)

    He's not a French resident. He lives in Italy, and he also speaks English. As he said himself, he speaks French with an Irish accent, and English with a French accent.

    I think the fact that he spent a lot of his formative years in Ireland and was educated there counts for something.
  • Echo et les Boniments
    Echo et les Boniments Posts: 142
    Or maybe Nicholas Roche is just both Irish and French, a young, bilingual guy, comfortable with both cultures enjoying his time in both Dublin and Paris, totally at ease with his dad's folks and la famille de sa maman.

    And maybe he's even believing dual citizenship is great and holds many advantages, plus it makes you really tolerant and open-minded -or so I am told.
  • Noosa
    Noosa Posts: 15
    Echo et les Boniments wrote:
    Or maybe Nicholas Roche is just both Irish and French, a young, bilingual guy, comfortable with both cultures enjoying his time in both Dublin and Paris, totally at ease with his dad's folks and la famille de sa maman.

    And maybe he's even believing dual citizenship is great and holds many advantages, plus it makes you really tolerant and open-minded -or so I am told.

    The voice of reason! Great response... I think we can agree on that.
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    According to http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/tour-winner-roches-hell-at-career-end-120537.html (interview with Stephen), the Roche family moved to Ireland in 1996 (when Nicolas was 11 or 12) but returned to France two years later.

    In short, Nicolas Roche is French, just like Heinrich Haussler is Australian.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,819
    And, like Heinrich Haussler can ride for Germany in the Worlds, so Nicolas Roche can ride for Ireland. Does it matter when he moved, how long he spent in each place, etc? He's both French and Irish, and whoever he rides for he will have support from both countries, and from me too
  • samb01
    samb01 Posts: 130
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    And, like Heinrich Haussler can ride for Germany in the Worlds, so Nicolas Roche can ride for Ireland. Does it matter when he moved, how long he spent in each place, etc?
    Not really. Roche made a perfectly rational decision.

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