IRELAND’S NICOLAS ROCHE (Saxo-Tinkoff) won the second stage of the Tour of Spain as he sprinted clear in the final few metres of the 177.7km ride from Pontevedra to Baiona.
Roche was followed home by Daniel Moreno (Katusha) and Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R) in second and third respectively.
Giro d’Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali did enough to move ahead in the overall classification as he finished just 14 seconds back, eight seconds ahead of Roche on the early GC standings.
“It is an incredible day for me,” Roche told TVE afterwards.
“I have done a lot of work to be in good shape for this tour.
“I hope to keep having a good performance. If I can get to Madrid in fourth, fifth or sixth (in the overall classification) it will be an incredible tour for me.”
Nibali meanwhile was happy to take the leader’s red jersey at such an early stage but is well aware of the challenge that lies ahead of him over the next three weeks if he is to win the tour for a second time.
“I am in very good condition and happy to have this red jersey that I already had once before back in 2010.
“But the Tour of Spain is very long and hard so I have to keep going day by day.”
The first four hours of the race had been dominated by a three way breakaway as Francisco Javier Aramendia (Caja Rural), Gregory Henderson (Lotto-Belisol) and Alex Rasmussen (Garmin-Sharp) built up a substantial lead over the peloton.
The trio’s advantage was as much as 13 minutes past the halfway mark before Lampre and Astana started to up the pace in the peloton and a strong headwind also began to hinder the leaders.
Aramendia, Henderson and Rasmussen were finally caught just before the 11km category one climb up the Alto do Monte da Groba to finish, but apart from a short lived attack from Amets Txurruka (Caja Rural) a large leading group remained together until the final two kilometres.
Response
Czech Leopold Konig (NetApp) was first to make a break, but Moreno and Roche responded quickly and it was the latter who was stronger in the final few hundred metres to take his first grand tour stage victory.
Spaniards Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) had a better day after disappointing team time trials on Saturday as they finished just 12 seconds back to remain in contention.
However, it was a disastrous stage for Sergio Henao (Sky) as he was dropped on the final climb and lost 2mins 41sec.
Tough talk from Lole, it is a pity he is not as tough when it comes to professional dabber’s and car parking spaces.
@Roger Paltry: I think his use of the word “probably” pretty much sums up his inappropriateness for the job.
@Roger Paltry: VP comments were just petty. He didn’t give any justification as to why it matters he is happy or angry after a game, just stirring shït like English and Irish media like.
I love the man but he is in way over his head.
@Garykelly: I agree 100% completely and utterly out of his depth. Does not know how to hold a press conference and still thinks fergie is the gaffer! He’ll still probably get to the summer though. As a Utd fan this is killing me
Ole’s not the problem. The whole structure at the club is wrong and nothing but time will fix that. It will be at least ten years before that club wins another league title. It might even take a brief threat of relegation to change things. American owners running it as a money making franchise rather than a football club. Recruitment is all wrong, bringing in players on £150k plus a week who are too comfortable. No leaders, no hunger, no fear. All wrong.
@McG: Ole is not the problem? Are you kidding? Granted he’s not the only problem, but he’s certainly a significant part of it. He’s a useless manager, with zero credentials for the job.
@enid blyton: i disagree with your assessment of ole but even if you are correct then who is to blame for him being manager??
@enid blyton: so you reckon a manager like Pochettino would win a league with those players?? Jesse Lingard, paid £5.2m in 2019 to produce the same amount of PL goals and assist as I did – ZERO. Wake up.
@enid blyton: much bigger problems than ole that need fixing and at some point that where the majority will focus their attention.
@Brian Dunne: You’re right, it wasn’t his fault he was appointed, he never should have been, but he is completely out of his depth and would be at any premier league club not just united. For instance, could you see him having the same effect at Watford as Pearson has had? I think not in my opinion
@Brian Dunne: well that’s down to he board obviously Brian but the board won’t sack themselves, and in fact they won’t sack ole (despite the fact they obviously should) because for fear of criticism on themselves so theyll wait til may and when United finish 5th/6th they’ll sack him then because it’ll be safer.
@McG: ultimately both utd and arsenal failed massively to prepare for life after fergie and Wenger. Really poor recruiting on mediocre players and prima Donna’s. I can definitely see both clubs going down the Liverpool route where it’ll take them years to get back to the top
@Paul Mallon: why is it obvious they should sack him?? Is he not doing a resonable job considering the job he was handed? After one year he should be sacked because utd aren’t top of the league?
Did Van Persie never see Ole play? He always had a smile on his face, but he had the nerves to get very important goals for United when the rest of the team was struggling with the pressure. That’s the nature of him.
Rvp probably won’t take your job, but hopefully poch will soon.
Van persie is such an ar****le
@Dan2078: no he’s not, he’s spot on here. What are you smiling for? Smile when your happy. He was going after the arsenal players to shake hands at the end. Just bashed by the gunners. Completely got tactics wrong. Fool on the street knows you get in about arsenal and rattle them. Utd stood of them hoping for a counter attack. That club is in serious s..t and them players ain’t gonna bail it out.
Van Persie was spot on with his comments ,
It’s obvious that the players don’t fear him .
Thank christ someone involved with the club said it cos its been the same for a year now. Sick of watching games being behind and ole sitting there not moving a muscle. Pep klopp or any decent manager at 2-0 would be losing the plot
Has no balls either to be putting up with lingard and that w@nker pogba, should be given the sack and replaced with poch
@Jason Oliver: well said..
Ole would be a class youth coach/manager. But with the seniors… Nahhh