Nicolas Roche handed vital role as Sky announce Tour de France line-up

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. https://twitter.com/nicholasroche/status/615459321451782144 '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. https://twitter.com/chrisfroome/status/615456886398316544 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.