ROCHE ON ATTACK IN FRENCH RACE

Eleventh on day one, Irish road race champion Nicolas Roche went on the attack on yesterday’s stage two of the Tour du Poitou Charentes. The Ag2r La Mondiale rider was hauled back in the closing kilometres, however, and Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures - Sojasun) beat Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam) to win the stage.

The peloton split slightly at the finish and Roche crossed the line in the second half, placing 81st and losing twelve seconds to Casper.

His aggressive ride shows that he is recovering well from a bad crash on day one. “My front wheel slipped on a corner and I went down, getting cut all over,” he told Irishcycling.com. “However I wasn’t affected too badly otherwise, and was able to sprint at the finish.”

Anthony Ravard (Agritubel) outgalloped Sébastien Joly (Française Des Jeux) and three others on that first stage, wich Roche fifth in the bunch gallop for seventh place.

Ravard continued to lead after yesterday’s second stage, ending the day 13 seconds ahead of Joly. Roche was 61st overall and, after the time bonuses were factored in, was 39 seconds back.

The 2.1 ranked race continues today with two stages; a 22.6 kilometre time trial in Monts Sur Guesnes, and an afternoon 98.5-kilometre stage from Monts Sur Guesnes to Loudun. The Tour du Poitou Charentes concludes tomorrow.

Roche is next scheduled to ride the Tour of Britain and then the world road race championships in Mendrisio, Switzerland.

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Tour du Poitou Charentes et de la Vienne, France (2.1), August 25-28 :

August 25, Stage 1: Chatelaillon - Plage – Aigre:

1 Anthony Ravard (Agritubel) 185.5 kilometres in 4 hours 18 mins 34 secs
2, Sébastien Joly (Française Des Jeux)
3, Jérôme Pineau (Quick Step)
4, Loïc Desriac (AG2R La Mondiale)
5, Michael Stevenson (Sparebanken Vest - Ridley)
6, Mickael Damiens (Eqa - Meitan Hompo - Graphite Design) at 4 secs
7, Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo Test Team) at 10 secs

Irish :

11, Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale) same time


August 26, Stage 2: Rouillac - Saint Maixent L'Ecole :

1, Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures - Sojasun) 185.5 kilometres in 4 hours 10 mins 58 secs
2, Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam)
3, Guillaume Blot (Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne) both same time
4, Alexandre Pichot (BBox Bouygues Telecom) at 2 secs
5, Steven Caethoven (Agritubel)
6, Fabien Bacquet (Auber 93) both same time


Irish :

81, Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale) at 12 secs

General classification after stage 2:

1, Anthony Ravard (Agritubel) at 8 hours 29 mins 15 secs
2, Sébastien Joly (Française Des Jeux) at 13 secs
3, Jérôme Pineau (Quick Step) at 14 secs
4, Michael Stevenson (Sparebanken Vest - Ridley) at mins 16 secs
5, Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures - Sojasun) at 17 secs
6, Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam) at 21 secs

Irish:

61, Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale) at 39 secs

Points classification:

1, Anthony Ravard (Agritubel) 37 pts
2, Jeremy Hunt (Cervélo TestTeam) 29
3, Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures - Sojasun) 25

Irish :

21, Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale) 5


Mountains classification:

1, Anthony Ravard (Agritubel) 12 pts
2, David Lelay (Agritubel) 8
3, Christophe Le Mevel (Française Des Jeux) 6

Combined classification :

1, Jimmy Casper (Besson Chaussures - Sojasun)

Most combative rider classification :

1, Stéphane Auge (Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne)

Green jersey classification :

1, Fabien Bacquet (Auber) 93