A group of Mallorcan businessmen have filed a lawsuit for fraud and property removal against former Tour de France and Giro d'Italia winner Stephen Roche, according to reports in the local press.
Reported by Balearic newspaper Ultima Hora, Roche is set to be sued for payment defaults of €285,000 while a second claim is set to ask the Irishman for repayment of €250,000.
It is believed that the lawsuits are being presented by the World Spry Services, a travel agency that is based in Mallorca that worked alongside Roche and his own cycling holiday business based on the Spanish island.
The company worked together in delivering Roche's bespoke holidays on the island, with Roche's company Shamrock Events paying World Spry Services on a monthly basis. However, it has been reported that payments for the past summer have been left outstanding despite reassurances from Roche that services could continue.
The report suggests that Roche repaid some of the outstanding debts but that by the end of the tourist season, an outstanding amount had yet to been paid and that despite promises from Roche that payments were due, he 'fled' the island before resolving the matter.
Ultima Hora claimed that 'suspicions had increased' with the web pages of Stephen Roche's Mallorcan cycling holiday no longer appearing online or on Facebook however Cyclist found that both the companies website and Facebook page were still active.
Cyclist has contacted Stephen Roche Cycling Holidays for comment and is awaiting a response.