Nicolas Roche, Irish champion in both the road race and time trial, will race for BMC in 2017, confirming that he will leave Team Sky after two seasons.
The American outfit will be Roche's sixth top tier team in his 12-year career, having started at Cofidis and also ridden for Credit Agricole, Ag2r La Mondiale and Tinkoff-Saxo before arriving at Team Sky in 2015.
He helped Chris Froome to Tour de France glory in his first season and also won a stage of the Vuelta a España in the same year. This season he finished second at the Tour de Yorkshire and ninth at this weekend's Clasica San Sebastian.
"Nicolas brings a wealth of experience and is exactly the sort of rider we are looking for to support our Grand Tour ambitions and work for his own personal objectives. A lot of our goals are centred around Grand Tours and we felt we needed an additional rider who could bring us experience in that field," BMC general manager Jim Ochowicz explained.
>>> Cycling transfers 2017: All the ins and outs from the WorldTour
Roche rode seven consecutive Tours de France between 2009 and 2015, finishing 12th for Ag2r in 2012. The Irishman Grand Tour credentials were cemented with top-10 finishes in the Vuelta in 2010 and 2013.
"I'm super excited because BMC is a team that rides with a lot of the characteristics that I like. They're always up the front, riding with aggression and trying to make an exciting race. I think I'll enjoy the aggressive style of racing," Roche said.
"Looking ahead to the 2017 season, my main role will be to really support Richie Porte and Tejay van Garderen in their general classification ambitions, and hopefully I'll have a good go at the Vuelta a Espãna."
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Best bicycle insurance, including what you need to know and how to compare
Wondering how to protect your pride and joy? Our helpful guide tells you all you need to know about bicycle insurance
-
Five talking points from stage eleven of the Giro d’Italia 2022
The Cycling Weekly highlights package from the stage which finally saw an Italian win at the home race this year
-
Biniam Girmay's stage 11 start in question after podium mishap
Eritrean stage-winner injured his eye with a cork during podium celebrations
-
'Unbelievable': Biniam Girmay seizes opportunity in watershed moment for cycling
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert rider becomes first Eritrean Grand Tour stage winner
-
Ineos Grenadiers insist they had a 'good day' on stage four of the Giro d'Italia, amid confusing tactics
The train returned, but Pavel Sivakov was dropped on Mount Etna
-
Pavel Sivakov: 'I’m really happy to be back to my level'
Ineos Grenadiers rider in break at Tour of the Alps, caught with under 10km to go
-
Bradley Wiggins: Ineos Grenadiers victory at Paris-Roubaix was 'typical Dave Brailsford'
Former Tour de France winner spent the day on a motorbike covering the race
-
'You gotta love bike racing don't you, it's the best thing in the world' — Ben Turner after a dramatic first Paris-Roubaix
Ineos Grenadiers rider claims 11th after crashing, but sees teammate win race
-
From finishing outside the time limit to winning Paris-Roubaix, Dylan van Baarle 'buzzing' after victory
Dutch rouleur claims first Paris-Roubaix for Ineos Grenadiers after 12 years of trying
-
Ineos Grenadiers head to Paris-Roubaix without one 'pure leader', but lots of options
Filippo Ganna is a favourite for the race, but says he doesn't know why
