It is no easy task following your parents into their chosen profession. This is even more difficult if it is the exact same profession or sport. Yet the list is lengthy of young men and women who have chosen to exactly that and risk the caparisons; Jordi Cruyff electing to become professional footballer following in the footsteps of his famous father Johan; Enzo Zidane Fernandez similarly battling the shadow his Father Zidane, Conor Daly the Indy Series driver tracing his father steps- former F1 driver - Dubliner Derek Daly. Whatever about following into another sporting discipline, the choice of pursuing the exact same discipline can only lead to unenviable comparisons. Particularly if your Father established some unrepeatable records.
Yet such is the life of Nicholas Roche. Who was only three when he stood by his Fathers side on the Champs Elysee in 1987 when Stephen became the first Irishman to claim the Tour de France. Only months after also winning the Giro and was then to make it a treble year with the World Championship a few months after. But such is the character of Nicholas he is now the bearer of an impressive CV starting with the win Irish National Road Race and in doing so joined the family business as two of Nicolas’s uncles are former professionals while his cousin Dan Martin currently rides for UAE Team Emirates.
Having set his mind on becoming a hotel or restaurant manager his thoughts changed n 2002 Mario Cipollini beat Robbie McEwen and Erik Zabel to win the World Championship in Belgium. From that moment he wanted to make it as a professional cyclist, a decision surprised his family, who encouraged him to continue with his studies. Nicolas’s determination took him to start with French amateur club VC La Pomme in Marseille and eventually turning professional with Cofidis in 2005. His all-round ability led to French based Credit Agricole and AG2R La-Mondiale teams and still remains one of the most consistent riders in the peloton today and currently with BMC Racing.
Roche has ridden in the Beijing Olympics, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. However, his breakthrough came in his first Tour de France in 2009 where he recorded 5 top ten stage finishes on his way to finishing 23rd overall. Over the last few years Nicolas continued to develop and in 2013 he signed for Team Saxo-Tinkoff, supporting teammate Alberto Contador. Nicholas achieved his best ever finish in a Grand Tour race, securing a top 5 position in the three-week Tour of Spain. His performance was even more impressive given he won an individual stage and became the first Irishman in 25 years to wear a race leaders jersey at a Grand Tour.
In 2014, Nicolas changed his race programme to accommodate the Giro d'Italia, which began in Ireland for the first time. The opportunity to ride a Grand Tour in front of home fans was a very special experience for Nicolas. Unfortunately, in the latter stages of the race he was involved in a crash which put an end to his chances of competing for the Overall GC. In June, he won his first stage race as a pro with an impressive performance at the Route du Sud. In July, he made his thirteenth Grand Tour start at the Tour de France. Though the team suffered a blow in the second week when Contador crashed out. In the September, Nicolas finished 5th at the Tour of Britain after which he moved to Team Sky in 2015. Proving and was an integral part of the team that aided Chris Froome to victory at the Tour de France. A month later at the Vuelta the Irish man he won stage 18 in impressive fashion.
Nico began his 2016 season with a 2nd place overall finish at the Tour de Yorkshire. Then in May he was named on Team Sky's Giro d'Italia team. In the summer, Nico won the Irish National road race and time trial championships and was subsequently selected to ride at the Olympic Games in Rio. The following tear he debuted with his new team BMC Racing and supporting of teammate of Tasmanian, Richie Porte, at the Tour de France. However, Porte’s misfortune continued and a bad crash on stage 9 end his post Sky ambitions, and so Nico was given freedom to attack in the remaining weeks of the race. In August, he lined up at the Vuelta as joint leader of BMC and the team got off to the perfect start winning the opening team time trial stage. Nico rode consistently over the remaining three weeks, which included three top 10 stage finishes en route to finishing inside the top 15 on the Overall GC.
Full name: Nicolas Roche
Pro since 2005
Date of birth July 3, 1984
Place of birth Conflans, France
Height 5 ft 10 inch / 178 cm
Teams
2018 BMC Racing Team (WT)
2017 BMC Racing Team (WT)
2016 Team Sky (WT)
2015 Team Sky (WT)
2014 Tinkoff - Saxo (WT)
2013 Team Saxo - Tinkoff (WT)
2012 AG2R La Mondiale (WT)
2011 AG2R La Mondiale (WT)
2010 AG2R La Mondiale (WT)
2009 AG2R La Mondiale (WT)
2008 Crédit Agricole (PT)
2007 Crédit Agricole (PT)
2006 Cofidis (PT)
2005 Cofidis (PT)
2004 Cofidis (TT1) (Trainee as from 01/09)
Top results
2x stage Vuelta a España ('15, '13)
GC Route du Sud - la Depeche du Midi ('14)
Stage Tour of Beijing ('11)
5th GC Vuelta a España ('13)
2nd GC Abu Dhabi Tour ('16)
6th GC Vuelta a España ('10)
5th GC Volta Ciclista a Catalunya ('10)
2018
1st Team Classification (BMC Racing Team), Arctic Tour of Norway
10th Stage 4, Arctic Tour of Norway
5th General Classification, Arctic Tour of Norway
10th Stage 2, Arctic Tour of Norway
1st Team Classification (BMC Racing Team), Dubai Tour
2017
3rd General Classification, Gree-Tour of Guangxi
3rd Stage 4, Gree-Tour of Guangxi
5th Overall, Giro dell’Emilia
10th Stage 13, Vuelta a Espana
7th Stage 3, Vuelta a Espana
1st Stage 1 Team Time Trial (BMC Racing Team), Vuelta a Espana
10th Overall, Classica Ciclista San Sebastian
6th Stage 15, Tour de France
4th Stage 8, Tour de France
4th Road Race, Irish National Championships
2nd Individual Time Trial, Irish National Championships
1st Stage 1 Team Time Trial (BMC Racing Team), Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
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