Nicholas Roche (open in new tab) will be the director of the senior road program for Cycling Ireland (open in new tab) in 2022 and will manage the Irish elite team at the World Championships in Wollongong and the European Championships in Munich. He will manage.

Roche, who retired this winter after a 17-season professional career, will also coach Ireland's junior and under-23 teams. He finished his career with Team DSM (open in new tab) for three seasons and served as road captain of the team's young riders in the last Tour de France in 2020.

"Having recently retired from professional cycling, I am delighted that Cycling Ireland has asked me to join the organization in this way," Roche said in a statement released by Cycling Ireland on Friday.

"I was very attracted to Ireland's ambition and vision for cycling and am really looking forward to working with the riders and staff for future international competitions. I have benefited from support and mentoring throughout my career and I hope to give back to the junior and U23 athletes and help develop Ireland's talent pipeline."

Roche has a wealth of experience having represented Ireland at 17 World Championships at elite, under-23 and junior levels dating back to 2001. He has also competed in four consecutive Olympic Games in Beijing, London, Rio, and Tokyo.

In 2013, he won a stage at the Vuelta a España and finished fifth overall wearing the red jersey.

Roche's contract was not renewed at the end of 2021, and his last race was the Irish Championships in Wicklow last October. He is now a contestant on the Irish edition of Dancing with the Stars, co-owner of a bike store in Cork, and will work with agent Andrew McQuaid at Trinity Sports Management.

"This is a very important move for Cycling Ireland and will help us prepare at a world-class level for the major events ahead, including the European and World Championships," said Cycling Ireland President Liam Collins.

"We are delighted that Nicolas Roche shares our ambition and vision and recognizes our potential. We are very much looking forward to working with him and developing the Road Program with the goal of Paris in 2024."