Nicolas Roche named on Sky squad for Vuelta

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.

The Irishman will be there to support Chris Froome who is bidding to become only the second Tour de France champion to win the Vuelta in the same year.

Team Sky have named a line-up stacked with experience, with Roche being the team’s second-in-command should accident or injury befall Froome.