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Nicolas Roche's strong year with Team Sunweb has prompted the team to offer him a two-year contract extension. Roche rode aggressively in many races, including the Tour de France, and led the recent Vuelta a España for three stages. He had hoped to land a top 10 overall finish in the race but crashed out; however, although he is still sidelined with the injury, he and the team have agreed a deal.
Roche described himself as “extremely happy” with the contract, which will see him in the team’s colours until at least the end of 2021.
“I have really found my place here and I enjoy the role that I played in the team this year. It’s been great to share my experience with the younger guys and support in the Grand Tours. The days in red at the Vuelta were really the highlight of my season and now with two more years confirmed with the team, I’m already really looking forward to the upcoming season.”
The contract extension will take Roche to 37 years of age. He previously told said that he wanted to race until he was 40.
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"We're really happy that Nicolas stays with the team for another two years. He's one of the most experienced riders in the peloton, having ridden 22 Grand Tours throughout his career; experience that is invaluable in helping the young riders in the team," said Team Sunweb coach Marc Reef on Monday.
“He rode two very good Grand Tours, including three days in the red leader’s jersey at the Vuelta, and he was a reliable team player in stage races throughout the year. His desire and motivation will also be incredibly helpful in helping to coach and guide the younger riders within the team over the coming years.”
Meanwhile, Irish riders got off to a solid start in the World Road Championships in Harrogate, Yorkshire, on Monday, with Lara Gillespie riding well in the junior women's time trial and Kevin McCambrige matching her performance in the junior men's event.
Gillespie finished 20th in her race, one minute 24 seconds behind the Russian victor Aigul Gareeva. Gareeva beat Shirin Van Anrooij (Netherlands) by four seconds and Elynor Backstedt (Britain) by 11. Both Gillespie and Backstedt honed their form in the recent Rás na mBan in Ireland.
Later, McCambridge took 20th in the junior men's time-trial. Italy's Antonio Tiberi took the gold medal despite bike problems at the start of the event which cost him a considerable amount of time. He finished eight seconds clear of the Dutch rider Enzo Leijnse, and 13 in front of Marco Brenner of Germany. McCambrige was two minutes and four seconds back, while Finley Newmark was three minutes 57 seconds down.
McCambridge will be back in action when he competes alongside Archie Ryan in the junior men's road race on Thursday afternoon. Gillespie will compete in the junior women's event on Friday, with Maeve Gallagher and Lucy O'Donnell also on the Irish squad.
Next up are Tour de l'Avenir stage winner Ben Healy and national under-23 time-trial champion Michael O'Loughlin. The duo will represent Ireland in the under-23 men's time-trial on Tuesday morning.
WORLD ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Harrogate Yorkshire – Junior women's time-trial: 1 Aigul Gareeva (Russia) 137 kilometres in 22 mins 16 secs, 2 S Van Anrooij (Netherlands) at 4 secs, 3 E Backstedt (Britain) at 11 secs. Other: 20 L Gillespie (Ireland) at one minute 24 secs
Junior men's time-trial: 1 Antonio Tiberi (Italy) 276 kilometres in 38 mins 28 secs, 2 E Leijnse (Netherlands) at 8 secs, 3 M Brenner (Germany) at 13 secs. Other: 20 K McCambridge (Ireland) at two mins four secs, 44 F Newmark (Ireland) at three mins 57 secs
CORK GP National Road Series event – Women: 1 Agnieszka Wozniak (Strata3VeloRev), 2 E Burns (Ballymena RC), 3 K Smyth (Ballymena RC), 4 L O' Donnell (Verge IRL), 5 E McCrystal (Strata3VeloRev), 6 M Claffey (UCD).
Final overall National Road Series winner: Katharine Smyth (Ballymena Road Club).
Men: 1 Angus Fyffe (Caldwell Cycles), 2 J Davenport (Stata3VeloRev), 3 C Prendergast (Castlebar CC), 4 A Maguire (Bioracer-DHL), 5 J Buller (Bioracer-DHL), 6 M Sparrow (Dan Morrissey/MIG/Pactimo)
Final overall National Road Series winner: Conor Hennebry (Dan Morrissey/MIG/Pactimo)
Supercross Series Round 1 Grange Castle South Dublin: 1 Paul O'Reilly (Dan Morrissey MIG Pactimo) 54 mins 1 secs, 2 R Seymour (Worc) 54 mins 58 secs, 3 P O Brien (Verge) 55 mins 8 secs, 4 R Maes (Strata3-Velorevolution) 55 mins 17 secs, 5 G O'Connell (Team Worc) 55 mins 46 secs
Elite women: 1 Lisa Stapelbroek (Kenmare Cycling Club) 48 mins 31 secs, 2 N McKiverigan (Powerhouse Sport) 49 mins 51 secs, 3 M O'Grady (NA) 49 mins 57 secs, 4 A Fox (Scott Orwell Wheelers) 50 mins 9 secs, 5 S Roche (Scott Orwell Wheelers) 51 mins 56 secs
Masters 40: 1 Kevin Keane (St Tiernan's) 56 mins 40 secs, 2 E Ryan (WORC) 57 mins 9 secs, 3 A O'Donohue (WORC) 58 mins 12 secs, 4 P O'Farrell Team (WORC) 58 mins 25 secs, 5 P Clifford (Strata3-VeloRevolution) 58 mins 28 secs
Masters 50: 1 John Doris (EPIC MTB-Expertcycles) 57 mins 6 secs, 2 M Jordan (Tallaght Wheelers) 59 mins 44 secs, 3 V Fitzsimon (unattached) 59 mins 58 secs, 4 G O'Donnell (IMBRC) 59 mins 59 secs, 5 D Hegarty (IMBRC) 1 hour 12 secs
Juniors: 1 Ruairi Coghlan (Killarney Cycling Club) 57 mins 11 secs, 2 D Harvey (VC Glendale) 57 mins 19 secs, 3 D McCarthy (Verge) 1 hour, 4 E Hassett (Naas CC) 1 hour 29 secs
Elite Men: 1 Colm O'Byrne (Epic) 46 mins 12 secs, 2 J McGettigan (Lucan CRC) 46 mins 13 secs, 3 A Slevin (Garda Cycling Club) 46 mins 31 secs, 4 R Reidy (Kilcullen) 46 mins 39 secs, 5 S Cox (Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar) 46 mins 40 secs
Masters 40: 1 Noel Conway (Bray Wheelers) 47 mins 9 secs, 2 J Howick (Bray Wheelers) 47 mins 11 secs, 3 K Keane (Kilcullen) 47 mins 29 secs, 4 C Keogh (Murphy Surveys Kilcullen CC) 47 mins 32 secs, 5 N Harrington (Club Rothaiochta Na Sionainne) 48 mins 34 secs
Masters 50: 1 Joe Jones (IMBRC) 48 mins 14 secs, 2 M O'Reilly (EPIC MTB) 48 mins 26 secs, 3 K Jankowsky (Henry J Lyons CC) 49 mins 34 secs, 4 F McCann (Cuchulainn CC) 49 mins 52 secs, 5 J Ryan (Upperchurch Drombane CC) 50 mins 5 secs
Under 16: 1 Adam Gilsenan (Bohermeen CC) 36 mins 55 secs, 2 C Scully (Carlow Road Cycling Club) 37 mins 22 secs, 3 C Lenehan (Navan Road Club) 38 mins 14 secs, 4 R Byrne (Scott Orwell Wheelers) 39 mins 27 secs, 5 F Harris (Bray Wheelers) 41 mins 51 secs
Under 16 girls: 1 Annie Roche (Scott Orwell Wheelers) 32 mins 31 secs, 2 K Reilly (Scott Orwell Wheelers) 35 mins 38 secs, 3 E Smith (Navan Road Club) 37 mins 14 secs, 4 E Murray (Oldcastle Cycling Club) 38 mins 15 secs
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