Irishman Nicolas Roche is destined to leave Team Sky after two seasons and join the ranks of BMC Racing Team in 2017, inside sources indicate.

In 2015, Roche rode as a domestique for Chris Froome in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. When Froome was forced to abandon the Spanish grand tour with a broken foot bone Roche upped his game and won stage 18 to Riaza.

Should Roche make the shift he will likely support Richie Porte in the Australian’s bid to win the 2017 Tour de France. The American WorldTour team is expected to announce the new contract sometime next month when, according to UCI rules, teams may officially sign riders.

Earlier this season, Roche claimed both the Irish time trial and road race championships after riding the Giro d’Italia in support of Sky leader Mikel Landa and helping Mikel Nieve win a stage and the blue king of the mountains jersey after Landa abandoned sick.

As for Team Sky, the British WorldTour team is completing its squad for 2017 with a new contract for Froome’s mountain helper Sergio Henao and it already confirmed that Geraint Thomas will continue in its black and blue colours. Mikel Nieve and Wout Poels will remain with Team Sky, as well.