Roche-Gadret feud out in the open
Source: Agencies |
July 22, 2010, Thursday
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HAVING spent more than five hours on the saddle in scorching heat Nicolas Roche would appreciate a beer - but he is unlikely to invite along teammate John Gadret.
The AG2R La Mondiale team leader was left bitterly upset after Frenchman Gadret launched an attack in Monday's Tour de France 15th stage, just as the Irishman was struggling to get back into the pack after suffering a puncture.
Roche, son of Ireland's 1987 Tour champion Stephen Roche, was lying 14th in the overall classification when he punctured a wheel on the way up the climb of Port de Bales on Monday. He asked his French colleague to give him a wheel but Gadret refused and cycled away. Roche had to wait for a wheel from a service car and lost time on his rivals, dropping three places overall.
"As he sat beside me on the team bus I had great difficulty in not putting his head through the nearest window," Roche added.
Team manager Vincent Lavenu was forced to play peacekeeper on Tuesday after Roche wrote in his Irish Independent column: "If John Gadret is found dead in his hotel room in the morning, I will probably be the primary suspect."
Asked about his comments, Gadret deadpanned: "It's internal to the team. It's none of your business," he said.
Lavenu told Cycling Weekly that he had held a meeting and calmed the tensions. "I got the whole team together last night and we talked about it," Lavenu said. "There are big problems at the Tour de France, but yesterday's was a small one."
Roche, now 18th in the overall standings two places ahead of Gadret, said their dispute had been resolved after Lavenu's intervention.
"I wasn't happy at all. I think we've settled things out. Today was another day, he (Gadret) gave me a hand today," said the Irishman.
"Even if I hadn't said anything, I think anybody would have guessed my words. That's why managers are there, Vincent Lavenu played his role, he wasn't happy at all."
The hatchet maybe buried but Roche and Gadret are unlikely to share a beer in the near future.
"I'm not going to go for a pint with him yet," said Roche.
Meanwhile, Andy Schleck, the main threat to Alberto Contador's quest for a third Tour de France victory, is convinced the race will be won or lost in today's tough climb up the Col du Tourmalet, the final mountain stage.
"There are only eight seconds between us. It's nothing at all," the Luxembourg rider said after Tuesday's 16th stage.
"I believe the Tour will be decided on the Tourmalet. The first guy up there will also win the Tour."
Schleck, second behind the Spaniard in the Tour last year, is considered to be of the same caliber as overall leader Contador in the mountains but weaker in time trials. As a result, there have been countless calculations and discussions in the peloton about the gap Schleck would need over Contador ahead of Saturday's 52-km time trial between Bordeaux and Pauillac to stand a chance for final victory.
The two rivals themselves mentioned 90 seconds as the probable difference between them in the last timed effort.
But Contador warned that things might not be that simple.
"I fear Schleck in the time-trial simply because he's a great rider. He won the Luxembourg time trial championship, which proves he's improved in the discipline," he said. "What's for certain is that there's going to be a great battle between us," Schleck said.
The AG2R La Mondiale team leader was left bitterly upset after Frenchman Gadret launched an attack in Monday's Tour de France 15th stage, just as the Irishman was struggling to get back into the pack after suffering a puncture.
Roche, son of Ireland's 1987 Tour champion Stephen Roche, was lying 14th in the overall classification when he punctured a wheel on the way up the climb of Port de Bales on Monday. He asked his French colleague to give him a wheel but Gadret refused and cycled away. Roche had to wait for a wheel from a service car and lost time on his rivals, dropping three places overall.
"As he sat beside me on the team bus I had great difficulty in not putting his head through the nearest window," Roche added.
Team manager Vincent Lavenu was forced to play peacekeeper on Tuesday after Roche wrote in his Irish Independent column: "If John Gadret is found dead in his hotel room in the morning, I will probably be the primary suspect."
Asked about his comments, Gadret deadpanned: "It's internal to the team. It's none of your business," he said.
Lavenu told Cycling Weekly that he had held a meeting and calmed the tensions. "I got the whole team together last night and we talked about it," Lavenu said. "There are big problems at the Tour de France, but yesterday's was a small one."
Roche, now 18th in the overall standings two places ahead of Gadret, said their dispute had been resolved after Lavenu's intervention.
"I wasn't happy at all. I think we've settled things out. Today was another day, he (Gadret) gave me a hand today," said the Irishman.
"Even if I hadn't said anything, I think anybody would have guessed my words. That's why managers are there, Vincent Lavenu played his role, he wasn't happy at all."
The hatchet maybe buried but Roche and Gadret are unlikely to share a beer in the near future.
"I'm not going to go for a pint with him yet," said Roche.
Meanwhile, Andy Schleck, the main threat to Alberto Contador's quest for a third Tour de France victory, is convinced the race will be won or lost in today's tough climb up the Col du Tourmalet, the final mountain stage.
"There are only eight seconds between us. It's nothing at all," the Luxembourg rider said after Tuesday's 16th stage.
"I believe the Tour will be decided on the Tourmalet. The first guy up there will also win the Tour."
Schleck, second behind the Spaniard in the Tour last year, is considered to be of the same caliber as overall leader Contador in the mountains but weaker in time trials. As a result, there have been countless calculations and discussions in the peloton about the gap Schleck would need over Contador ahead of Saturday's 52-km time trial between Bordeaux and Pauillac to stand a chance for final victory.
The two rivals themselves mentioned 90 seconds as the probable difference between them in the last timed effort.
But Contador warned that things might not be that simple.
"I fear Schleck in the time-trial simply because he's a great rider. He won the Luxembourg time trial championship, which proves he's improved in the discipline," he said. "What's for certain is that there's going to be a great battle between us," Schleck said.
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