Earlier today Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank officially announced that former Irish national champion Nicolas Roche has signed a contract with the team and will be wearing the Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank colors in 2013 and beyond.

Roche has ridden for French Team AG2R-La Mondiale since 2009 and hopes that his move to Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank will help him improve his time trial strength. According to his new team Roche will function as helper for Alberto Contador in Grand Tours and team owner Bjarne Riis will work with him to help him obtain his own victories in smaller races as well.

According to Riis, Roche, who finished 12th overall in this year's Tour de France and has previously finished 7th in the Vuelta a Espana, adds significant strength to the team's roster. Roche also brings valuable points for the UCI team rankings.

"Nicolas is a really exciting rider that I have kept an eye on for some time now. He will surely add strength to our team throughout the season, but at the same time I also see a rider, who can still develop, especially his time trialing. So I'm really looking forward to start working with him."

"I'm sure Nicolas will be an important rider for us both when it comes to helping Alberto win Grand Tours and to secure results on his own," Riis adds.

In his diary on Irish Daily Independent Roche describes how the move was initiated when he met former Australian professional rider Nick Gates, who now works as sports director for Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank.

"We swapped numbers and shortly after that I found myself speaking to Riis on the phone. Riis is known as a really good, innovative directeur sportif. He's also a great tactician and motivator and those few minutes that we spent talking about the possibility of me joining his team almost gave me goosebumps."

"For years, my dad has been telling anyone prepared to listen that I need a strong, charismatic directeur sportif who can take me in hand and has the knowledge and years of experience to help me progress," Roche adds.

"Joining Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank is a whole new adventure for me after eight years of riding for French teams, and I'm really excited about this challenge. Bjarne Riis has managed some of the best cyclists in the world, and I'm convinced that his team can help me step up a level and help me achieve some results. At the same time it will be a great new experience for me to take on a supporting role as well," Roche concludes.

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