Has anybody noticed Nicholas Roche hanging tough on the Mountain stages in the Vuelta. He looked really good contesting the early sprint stages and now he is showing some climbing legs. Given his cousin Dan Martin's excellent debut season, there may be something in those Roche genes, at least I hope that is what it is. Roche is still young so where is talent's lie are hard to figure yet, but he hadn't shown himself as a climber. He looks like he can finish top 15 in this Vuelta which would be excellent, especially as he also missed the gap on the same day as Valverde.

I still think he will be more of a classics rider, but maybe it will be in hillier classics that what I had thought.

Definitely one to watch along with Dan Martin.

I had seen Roche's results improving as the season went on, and even picked him for my Wielerprono team - although more out of his cheapness than because I was expecting great things. But he has certainly impressed.

Do we know where he will be riding next season given the demise of Credit Agricole?

He signed for AG2R