Despite leading the Vuelta a Espana and getting to wear the red jersey, Irish cyclist Nicolas Roche said crashing was always at the back of his mind because of his past experiences. 

Speaking on Tuesday's OTB AM , Roche said he was apprehensive coming into the final stages of Monday's race.

"Coming into the finish I was just so nervous about a crash, about missing out on a corner or about a split coming into the finish.

"Because I've seen it happen and because I've been in that situation, obviously not for losing the leader's jersey, but for losing a position on general classification," he said.

He knows how special getting the red jersey at Vuelta a Espana is and he isn't taking it for granted.

"I kind of realised today that this is a moment in my career where crashing could be the end of my career.

"I have a lot more to lose in crashing than in touching the breaks. Ten years ago if I went through the corner in the second position that was great, I could make a jump in my career," the Team Sunweb rider said.

Being fearless

The 35-year-old knows that since he is at the tail end of his career, he can't be as reckless as other riders.

Roche spoke about how the young riders on his team haven't been knocked back from crashing.

"At this point in my career, I've had so many crashes over my 15-year career that I do know how hard the road is.

"Some of these young lads that didn't quite go through these experiences having a high-speed crash or diving in the corner and having a wheel split.

"They haven't tasted the pain of injury so they're kind of fearless," Roche said.

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