Roche heads up AG2R Vuelta challenge

Irish rider Nicolas Roche will lead the AG2R team in the forthcoming Tour of Spain the French outfit have confirmed.

The 27-year-old, son of Irish cycling legend Stephen, finished a creditable 26th on the Tour de France and is the only one of the nine man team selected to have competed in this year's edition of the world's most prestigious cycling race.

Roche, seventh in last year's Vuelta, will be chiefly aided by former French national champion Dimitri Champion for the final of the major tours which gets underway in Benidorm on 20 August.