Roche still in top 10 in Catalonia

CYCLING:NICOLAS ROCHE maintained his place in the top 10 of the Volta a Catalunya yesterday, but dropped a place from fourth to fifth in the general classification. Rein Taaramae (Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne) broke clear and gained enough time to jump up to third overall.

Taaramae and Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) escaped inside the final half-hour of racing and sprinted it out for the win in Asco, with Voigt proving quicker.

Roche came home as part of a 60-man chasing group, 34 seconds back. He was 29th on the stage.

He remains one minute and 20 seconds behind race leader Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha), and will keep riding aggressively in the three remaining stages.

After receiving congratulations from race hostesses wearing traditional gandella head-dresses, Voigt told reporters that, as a result of his terrible Tour de France crash in July, he had not ridden his bike for two months.

The German fractured a cheekbone and was severely concussed in the 80kph accident on an Alpine descent.

“I couldn’t do anything to raise my blood pressure, not even go up two steps at a time on a staircase,” said the 38-year-old.

Voigt’s victory yesterday came just 1km from one of Spain’s eight nuclear power stations. “I saw the reactor and nuclear power is more dangerous, but I believe it’s the only way to provide enough electricity and we need it,” Voigt said. “I sometimes laugh at the Greens – I mean, where do you think the light comes from in your office?”

Meanwhile, Ireland’s David O’Loughlin finished 12th in the individual pursuit at the track world championships in Copenhagen yesterday. He posted four minutes 25.203 seconds in the 4,000 metre test, fading slightly towards the end.

His time was over four seconds outside the personal best he set en route to sixth place in the 2007 track worlds in Manchester.

However, given that he is coming back from a bad crash last summer plus another fall earlier this year, he was not too disappointed.

“I’m building back up and perhaps this came a little too soon,” he said. “I only found out a few days ago that I got the wildcard and was riding here, so I haven’t done many hard efforts in preparation.”

Defending champion Taylor Phinney (US) won the race, defeating Jessie Sargent (New Zealand).

Matt Brammeier made his world championship debut in the scratch race and rode well early on before slipping back. Danish rider Alex Rasmussen gained a lap on the field and took the victory; Brammeier finished in the main bunch of riders, placing 22nd.

In other news, a strong Drapac Porsche team has been announced for this year’s FBD Rás. The Australian squad will be led by Tour de Langkawi king of the mountains Peter McDonald and stage winner Stuart Shaw. Rhys Pollack, Joe Lewis and David Pell will complete the line-up.

“The Drapac Porsche team looks like it is going to be a very strong entry into this year’s FBD Rás,” said race director Dermot Dignam. “Together with the New Zealand national team announced last week, the Southern Hemisphere teams are going to really liven things up in May.

“Performing so well in Malaysia shows that the Australian riders mean business, and this can only add to the level of competition this year.”