Nicolas Roche (AG2R La Mondiale) is gradually finding his form after an injury-hit spring (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Nicholas Roche (Ag2r-La Mondiale) has been forced to quit the Critérium du Dauphiné because of the multiple injuries he suffered in a crash during Friday’s fifth stage to Les Gets.
Roche’s management company Trinity Sports Management announced he would not start the stage via Twitter.
The Irishman crashed at speed with Andy Cappelle (Quick Step) just before the final climb of the stage. He suffered some nasty cuts to his arm, thigh and chin but managed to get back on his bike, and finished the stage 25 minutes behind winner Christophe Kern (Team Europcar).
He was taken to hospital where a scan ruled out a suspected fractured elbow. However he had stitches applied to his chin and numerous cuts and bruises on his chest, thigh and hip were cleaned and treated.
Roche was dogged by a knee problem at the start of the season and crashed out of Fleche-Wallonne in April. However he had been recovering well and finished fifth on stage one of the Critérium du Dauphiné to Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse.
Today’s 192.5km sixth stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné is from Les Gets to Le Collet d’Allevard and includes five major Alpine climbs.
Roche is expected to head home to Varese, Italy, to recover from his injuries but is still on track to ride the Tour de France that starts on July 2.
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Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
