THERE was disappointment for Letterkenny’s Philip Deignan today after he learned that he won’t be representing Team Sky in the Vuelta A Espana.
The Vuelta starts this Saturday in the Andalucian town of Puerto Banus, but the omission means that Deignan won’t have taken part in any of the Grand Tours this year.
Last year, Deignan did both the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta.
Deignan was a stage winner in 2009 and was fifth overall in the Tour of Yorkshire this year.
Most recently, he was 62nd overall at the seven-stage Tour de Pologne UCI World Tour (Tour of Poland).
In June, he assisted Chris Froome to win the Criterium du Dauphiné, while in Poland he helped both Mikel Nieve and Sergio Henao finish inside the top 10.
Nicholas Roche has been named in the nine-pan roster for the Vuelta, but the news will come as a big blow to Deignan.
Roche will be second in command to Froome with Geraint Thomas, Sergio Henao, Mikel Nieve, Vasil Kiryienka, Christian Knees, Ian Boswell and Salvatore Puccio also named.
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