Sam Bennett doubled Ireland’s cause for celebrations in the Vuelta a Espana as he took victory on stage three while compatriot Nicolas Roche kept the leader’s red jersey.

Sam Bennett will make his debut in the Vuelta a Espana today when the three-week race rolls down the start ramp in the seaside city of Torrevieja, south of Alicante.

Simon Yates lost his overall lead in the Vuelta a Espana, as Alexandre Geniez claimed victory in a chaotic finish to stage 12 at Manon.

"While this decision is obviously a big deal for me and the team, it's also an important moment for cycling," said Froome.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche closed on Chris Froome yesterday, moving joint second in the general classification of the Vuelta a Espana.

Ireland's Nicolas Roche is in third place after the time-trial opening stage of this year's Vuelta a Espana cycling.

Ireland’s Dan Martin is one of just two Irish riders who will roll out of the German city of Dusseldorf this afternoon for the 104th edition of the Tour de France.

The Cork-based Aqua Blue team have recorded a first stage win of a major race.

At the start of this month, cyclists competed in the 100th Giro d’Italia race. Ben Mitchell gets in on the action by tackling part of the course on a bike holiday through the South Tyrol

An Irish-registered professional cycling team will compete in a Grand Tour this year for the first time ever after Aqua Blue Sport secured a wild card entry to the Vuelta a Espana.

All of Team Sky’s drivers will take safety refresher courses this winter as part of their response to an embarrassing incident that saw the team bus almost run a cyclist off the road in Wales.

Chris Froome clawed back a late attack led by Alberto Contador to retain second place in the overall standings after stage 17 of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday.

Chris Froome won yesterday’s 11th stage as the Vuelta a Espana resumed following Tuesday’s rest day.

Fabio Aru claimed his first Grand Tour win yesterday when he was crowned winner of the Vuelta A Espana after an enthralling three-week battle with Dutchman Tom Dumoulin.

Dutchman Tom Dumoulin moved a step closer to cycling immortality yesterday as he retained the race leader’s red jersey on the 19th stage of the Vuelta a Espana.

Nicolas Roche was the toast of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday when he won the 18th stage of the race in a two-up sprint against home favourite Haimar Zubeldia (Trek Factory Racing).

Just when it seemed like the Vuelta a Espana was slipping from his grasp, Dutch powerhouse Tom Dumoulin produced one of the performances of his career to retake the race lead with four days to go.

Nicolas Roche endured his worst day of this year’s Vuelta A Espana so far after losing over 28 minutes on the 16th stage from Luarca to the summit finish at Ermita de Alba yesterday.

Nicolas Roche slipped outside the top 20 at the Vuelta A Espana yesterday after losing over 13 minutes to stage winner Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha).

Portuguese rider Nelson Oliveira took the biggest win of his career on stage 13 of the Vuelta A Espana yesterday as he outsmarted a 24-man breakaway to win alone in Tarazona.

Nicolas Roche moved up one place to 21st overall at the Vuelta A Espana after yesterday’s 12th stage of the race to Lleida, the Team Sky man not getting amongst the sprint that decided the day.

Nicolas Roche is bracing himself for one of the hardest stages of a Grand Tour in his professional career today when the 11th stage of the Vuelta A Espana sees the riders tackle over 5,000 metres of climbing en route to a summit finish in Andorra.

Nicolas Roche had a day he’s unlikely to forget on stage 10 of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday when he came down in a crash and was forced into a frantic chase to preserve fourth overall on the general classification.

Nicolas Roche dropped to fourth overall at the Vuelta A Espana yesterday, 24 hours after fellow Irishman Dan Martin crashed out.

Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche both survived the intense heat, the gruelling terrain and a flurry of late attacks to preserve third and fourth overall, respectively, at the Vuelta A Espana yesterday.

Ireland’s Dan Martin moved up to third overall at the Vuelta A Espana yesterday after finishing in second place on another punishing day in the saddle.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin both preserved their high overall placings in the Vuelta a Espana yesterday and look well poised to strike for the race lead today.

Nicolas Roche came within 10 metres of winning the fourth stage of the Vuelta A Espana yesterday but was foiled by a fast-finishing trio which denied him a place on the podium.

Nicolas Roche remains third overall at the Vuelta a Espana following day three of the race from Mijas to Malaga yesterday. 

Irish duo Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin were two of the strongest riders on yesterday’s second stage of the Vuelta A Espana, finishing third andfourth respectively.

Nicolas Roche starts the 15th Grand Tour of his career today when he lines up as part of a formidable-looking Team Sky squad for the opening stage of the Vuelta a Espana in the southern port town of Puerto Banus.

Nicolas Roche has been named in Team Sky’s nine-man roster for the Vuelta a Espana, which starts on Saturday in the Andalucian town of Puerto Banus on the Costa del Sol.

Q:

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo)

Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly has paid tribute to Dan Martin for the manner in which he bounced back from a dreadful run of luck this year to win one of cycling’s biggest one-day races.

Nicolas Roche has ended months of speculation on his future in the pro game, with confirmation yesterday he is to join Team Sky.

Team Sky has announced the signing of Irishman Nicolas Roche as one of five new names for 2015.

Ireland’s Dan Martin finished a career best in a Grand Tour yesterday when he finished seventh overall at the Vuelta A Espana.

Two cyclists were disqualified from the Vuelta a Espana cycling race - after repeatedly punching and shoving each other in the middle of a stage.

Cycling Ireland last night named a strong team for the UCI World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain in two weeks’ time.