Ireland’s Nicolas Roche got right in the mix on the fourth day of the Giro d’Italia yesterday, challenging for stage glory on the 200-kilometre stage from Catanzaro to Praia a Mare.

Tom Dumoulin is wearing the pink jersey after four stages.

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.

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).

Meanwhile the Saxo-Tinkoff owner has threatened to withdraw his team from the rest of the race…

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.

Tour de France champion Chris Froome suffered a blow in his bid to add the Vuelta a Espana title.

Despite the change in leader, Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin remain in third and fourth places respectively.

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

Sagan captured his first Grand Tour stage in more than two years.

Orica GreenEDGE’s Esteban Chaves is the new race leader after winning stage two.

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.

Nicolas Roche became just the third Irishman in history to be part of a win at the Tour de France when he helped ensure teammate Chris Froome’s overall victory on yesterday’s final stage of the race into Paris.

Nicolas Roche put up a brave fight in a bid to claim stage glory on yesterday’s 17th stage of the Tour de France but it was German Simon Geschke (Giant Alpecin) who emerged victorious with a brilliant solo victory.

Nicolas Roche has described the ‘disrespect’ his Team Sky squad endured from spectators over the weekend.

Sam Bennett has joined the Tour de France party, as a sprinter with Bora-Argon.

Team Sky’s riders and management have staunchly defended the performance of Nicolas Roche following Sunday’s near miss at a stage win on the ninth day of the Tour de France.

Nicolas Roche has been named in Team Sky’s nine-man squad for the Tour de France, which starts in Utrecht in the Netherlands on Saturday.

Fears that the Irish rider’s position in the team was in doubt proved wide of the mark this afternoon when the son of ‘Tour’ winner Stephan was named in the squad.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche admits he is “worried” he may miss out on this year’s Tour de France amid fears Team Sky will omit him from their line-up for the race.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche made a real statement of intent at the Giro d’Italia yesterday when he moved up to seventh overall following the day’s 203-kilometre trek from Taranto to Viggiano.