Ireland’s Nicolas Roche and Philip Deignan have been named in Team Sky’s nine-man roster for the Giro d’Italia, which gets under way this Friday in the Netherlands.

Ireland’s Dan Martin came painfully close to winning Fleche Wallonne for the first time yesterday but just like in 2014, when he finished runner-up to Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), he was pipped at the post by the same man again.

After breaking his collarbone back in mid-February, Donegal professional cyclist Philip Deignan returns to action today with a stage-race in Italy and is optimistic about his chances of riding the Giro d’Italia, which starts in Belfast on May 9.