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For the sake of discussion, we consider the top order of GC after 1,415km of racing and wonder if Froome’s nearest challenger could actually become a rival. We ask Nicolas Roche for his appraisal of two riders he raced alongside for two years before 2017…
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Since the start of the Tour de France there has been 12 seconds between two Sky riders at (or near) the top of general classification. Geraint Thomas beat Chris Froome by 12” on day one and the pair were first and second overall after stage three.
Onward to the Vosges and Chris leapfrogged ‘G’, beating him by 24 seconds at La Planches des Belles Filles to put himself 12” ahead on GC.
When Sky first won the Tour in 2012, it famously took first and second place: ‘Wiggo’ and ‘Froomey’, side by side on the podium in Paris.
But they barely raced together since those glory days. The conflicts have been well documented and the management backed Froome the following year – while Wiggins went about rounding out his career (a couple of times) with a number of targeted campaigns on the road and track.
Five years on and Froome is the most successful Tour rider of the current generation; a trio of victories in the race and one unfortunate exit is his record since 2013.
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Geraint’s final minute in the yellow jersey: near the finish of stage five…
Photo: Leon van Bon
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With climbing stages in the Vosges and Jura out of the way, the battle for GC is still wide open, the top 12 is separated by just 61 seconds. But the nearest challenger to Froome remains the original leader of the 104th Tour, Geraint Thomas.
Stage eight saw an escape group form with riders that had, at one point, moved into the virtual lead of the Tour; Serge Pawels of Dimension Data temporarily earned enough of an advantage that he could at least contemplate what it might be like to wear the yellow jesey. Similarly, ‘Nico’ Roche – who was also on the attack – wasn’t far from the virtual lead.
It’s 30 years since Roche’s father won the Tour and yet, for all his years of experience as both a team leader and domestique, Nico has never worn the the yellow jersey.
He has, however, raced with both Froome and Thomas during his stint with Sky (2015 and 2016) as well as a range of other formidable team leaders.
During the first week of the 2017 Tour, I asked Roche if he could foresee a scenario where Froome’s closest challenger could become a rival; how might it work out if Geraint became Chris’ rival?
On any other team, Thomas would be a valuable asset as a leader but, according to Roche at least, he’ll continue with his domestique duties at Team Sky for the rest of the 2017 Tour at least. And, for all Geraint’s strengths, Roche believes that the current race leader will continue to prove that he’s the strongest in his team…
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‘Nico’ Roche has raced with a number of teams – as both leader and super-domestique. He knows the two riders at the top of GC well and believes there’s no risk of a conflict between Froome and Thomas.
Photo: Leon van Bon
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Nico Roche Q&A
RIDE: I thought I’d ask about the situation; you’ve ridden with a lot of leaders and we see Geraint Thomas and ‘Froomey’ now in an interesting predicament. Do you ever imagine that it would be a case where Geraint could challenge for the yellow jersey?
I know it’s a random question but you know these two well.
Nicolas Roche: “No, it’s a valid question. Geraint was the number-one choice for the Giro so why not here?
“We all think he can do it, he just hasn’t done it yet.
“It seemed that he was in very, very good shape for the Giro and he’s in excellent shape at the Tour.
“On the opening day, he properly smashed the TT there’s no doubt about that.
“And I’m pretty sure that, when it comes to the mountains, he will also be there.
“It’s a long way to Paris but I’m thinking he can hold a good position on GC.”
I ask you because you know a lot of the personalities. You get on well with both of them. What’s the dynamic like between those two? And do you imagine it could ever turn into Wiggins-vs-Froome scenario?
“I wouldn’t think so but one of the particularities at this point is that it’s still an individual sport within teams. I don’t think there will be any conflict and everyone is super gee-ed that ‘G’ had the jersey. He is a very liked rider in the peloton and, like I said early in the Tour, I think he deserves his yellow jersey; he’s been fighting and dreaming of that for so many years. It just hadn’t happened with luck or whatever.
“I think now he’s in a good situation and enjoying every day.
“I still believe that, once we get to the very high mountains, that Froome will be stronger than ‘G’.”
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Before today, 1,415km have been raced at an average speed of 42.466km/h. There remains just 12” between two riders. Roche knows both of them well but he hopes that the stage between Nantua and Chambéry will see a reshuffle of the GC leaders… and, in an ideal scenario, another former Team Sky domestique will pull on the yellow jersey before the rest day.
Nico’s escape didn’t last to the finish yesterday. Today there are three HC climbs on the menu and a descent to the finish. Team work will be pivotal and perhaps the French-born Irishman will help his Tasmanian team-mate, Richie Porte, move up from fifth overall…
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