Fears about Nicolas Roche’s position in Team Sky’s Tour de France line-up have proved unfounded
Roche hasn’t shown his best form so far this season, and the Irishman’s name was absent from a leaked Sky squad last week.
But the team denied that list was accurate and Roche was this morning named in the nine-man party for the three-week race which begins this weekend in Holland.
The team will be fully geared to support 2013 winner Chris Froome in his bid to regain the yellow jersey and Roche, who turns 31 on Friday, has been handed a crucial role of road captain by boss Dave Brailsford.
Very proud to be part of @TeamSky for this 2015 #tdf can"t wait!! Thanks for all messages of good luck this morning! Grand tour n14 lets go!
— nicholas roche (@nicholasroche) June 29, 2015
‘He is one of the most experienced guys in professional cycling,’ Brailsford told Sky Sports.
‘He’s a good climber, a strong, punchy rider, and we’ll use all his experience. He knows where to position the team and how to position the team and as road captain he’ll be calling the shots.’
The road captain is the main conduit between the team car and the riders in the peloton and is responsible for implementing the team’s plans on each stage and organising his team-mates in their mission to make sure they can support team leader Froome.
Team Sky team : @chrisfroome @richie_porte @nicholasroche @WoutPoels @GeraintThomas86 @Petekennaugh @IStannard @LeopoldKonig @LukeRowe1990
— Chris Froome (@chrisfroome) June 29, 2015
Beyond Froome and Roche, the team is packed full of climbing talent like Richie Porte, Wout Poels and Leopold Konig, but there was no place for Irish climber Philip Deignan, whose wait for a Tour de France debut goes on.
