Roche seals first stage race victory

Cycling: Ireland’s Nicolas Roche has won his first stage race as a professional rider, after he claimed victory in the Route du Sud in France yesterday.

The Tinkoff-Saxo rider went into yesterday’s third and final stage with the leader’s jersey and emerged victorious.

“It was a magnificent feeling crossing the finish line and taking my first general classification win after three days of very hard racing,” a delighted Roche said.