Consummate professional Nicolas Roche leaves cycling peloton with his head held high

Roche’s departure leaves a huge gap in the peloton from an Irish perspective, not least because his cousin Dan Martin is also retiring at the end of this year

Nicolas Roche in the leader’s red jersey after the fourth stage of the 2019 Vuelta. Picture: Jose Jordan

Nicolas Roche last night called time on his glittering career, bringing an end to a glorious 17-year spell in the professional peloton, saying it was “both the hardest and easiest decision I have ever had to make”.

One of the country’s most decorated cyclists of all time, Roche was sixth in Sunday’s Irish elite national road race championships in Coolbeg, Wicklow. It might not have been the swansong the 37-year old imagined bowing out on, but when he crossed the finish line, he knew it was for the last time.