If Tuesday’s stage of Paris-Nice belonged to Carrick-on-Suir man Sam Bennett after he claimed a stunning victory, yesterday’s was very much about Dan Martin as he climbed right into contention for the overall.

Andre Greipel won his third stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday before withdrawing from the race, citing the tough terrain in store and more achievable goals in the weeks and months ahead.

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.

Nicolas Roche had an encouraging start to the Giro d’Italia yesterday when he posted a time of 11 minutes 33 seconds for the opening stage of the three-week race.

Nicolas Roche will roll down the start-ramp in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands this afternoon as one of the two Irish riders in this year’s Giro d’Italia.

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.

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

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.

Irish rider Sam Bennett moved a step closer to realising his dream of riding the Tour de France in July when his team were yesterday granted a wildcard invitation to the world’s biggest bike race.

Ireland’s Dan Martin continued his superb run of form when winning stage four of the Tour of Beijing in China yesterday.

Sam Bennett is targeting the podium at the Tour de France in 2015 after just failing to make the team for cycling’s most prestigious event this year.

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

Nicolas Roche was best of the three-man Irish team after six and a half hours in the saddle in the elite road race at the World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain, yesterday.

Philip Deignan believes Ireland have a gold medal contender in Dan Martin for tomorrow’s Elite men’s road race at the World Championships in Spain.

Nicolas Roche got Ireland’s UCI World Championships campaign underway in Ponferrada, Spain yesterday with a fifth-place finish in the Elite men’s team time-trial.

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.

Germany’s John Degenkolb claimed his third sprint victory of the Vuelta a Espana by winning stage 12 in Logrono yesterday as Ireland’s Dan Martin survived a rather stress-free day and remains 11th overall.

CYCLING: Dan Martin put in a very gutsy display on stage 11 of the Vuelta A Espana yesterday, finishing eighth on the stage, eight seconds behind stage winner Fabio Aru (Astana) and moving up to 11th overall.

CYCLING: Sam Bennett is the hot favourite to win tomorrow’s Elite National Road Race title in Mullingar, but the Carrick-on-Súir rider is playing down his chances.

American Andrew Talansky claimed the Criterium du Dauphine title yesterday on a truly epic final stage of the race.

Philip Deignan notched his best result since moving to Team Sky last year — and the best result from an Irish perspective at this year’s Giro d’Italia when he notched a brilliant third on yesterday’s 18th stage of the race from Belluno to Panarotta.

Stefano Pirazzi cried tears of joy after winning his first Grand Tour stage in his home race yesterday, but behind him arguments still raged after Tuesday’s controversial Giro d’Italia stage put Nairo Quintana in the pink jersey of race leader.

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.

Long transfers from stages at Grand Tours are nothing strange in the world of cycling but Sunday’s mammoth journey from Dublin to Bari was one of the longest — and logistically difficult — in the race’s recent history.

German powerhouse Marcel Kittel proved for the second day in succession he is currently the best sprinter in the world when he stormed to victory on stage three of the Giro d’Italia in front of over 50,000 fans in Dublin’s city centre yesterday.

Giro D’Italia: Dan Martin had surgery on his broken collarbone in Dublin yesterday following his race-ending crash on Friday’s opening stage in Belfast.

The race is only one stage old but already it’s a case of what might have been for Ireland’s big hope in the Giro d’Italia as Dan Martin crashed out of the race after just 15 minutes in last night’s opener in Belfast.

The Giro d’Italia’s Big Start is in Ireland this year – but what is the Giro, and why is everything pink?

Nicolas Roche said he was left proud but almost speechless by the welcome he received at the opening of the Giro D'Italia in Belfast.

The days of partying are now over as Donegal’s Philip Deignan prepares for the Giro d’Italia with Team Sky.

One of the key figures in bringing the Giro d’Italia to Ireland is hopeful the race can leave a lasting and positive legacy.

Ireland’s Philip Deignan has been named in Team Sky’s line-up for the Giro d’Italia, which starts in Belfast on May 9 and has three stages in Ireland.

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.

Irishman Philip Deignan has withdrawn from Team Sky’s Ruta del Sol squad after fracturing a collarbone in training near his Monaco base.

Ireland’s Philip Deignan enjoyed a good competitive racing debut with Team Sky, helping teammates Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas finish fourth and eighth in the Santos Tour Down Under yesterday.

Brian Nugent scratches his head and tries to tot up the number of days he has spent abroad with Irish cyclists this year — but can only offer a very rough estimate. “A lot,” he eventually settles for.

Ireland could have up to six riders on the Giro d’Italia start line in Belfast on May 9 after the shortlist for wildcard entries for the three-week race was unveiled yesterday.

Following weeks of speculation, Team Sky yesterday confirmed Ireland’s Philip Deignan will join their ranks for the 2014 season.

Team Sky have signed Irish rider Philip Deignan for the 2014 season.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche took the biggest win of his career yesterday when he won a thrilling stage two of the Vuelta A Espana from Pontevedra to Alto Do Monte Da Groba.