Apparently he is in town because his girlfriend (i guess he's divorced!) is doing commentary for Eurosport on the World Aquatics champs. So he showed up at the LBS where I bought my bike and where a friend of mine works, and a whole group went on a ride with him this AM. I didn't go, alas, but from all accounts he's a really nice guy and incredibly normal. They did take some photos and I convinced my friend to submit some to the Velonews reader contest. I may yet get to see the guy, he's in town (Riding a trek) for a few more days and I may see him riding around! One thing he commented on was the year he wore the Rainbow Jersey of Doom and he said he only got to wear it for like 24 days since he was injured half the year. He doesn't get to ride as much as he'd like although he has his own life of bikes.
I still remember following the tour that year (in the newspaper,which was about all you got) and thinking wow! He's Irish and he's winning the tour de france! That never happens! I thought it was fascinating.
Cool story Marlene, thanks for putting it up. Bill C
I still remember following the tour that year (in the newspaper,which was about all you got) and thinking wow! He's Irish and he's winning the tour de france! That never happens! I thought it was fascinating.
I recall Daniel Day Lewis right after winning his Academy Award saying that it would be the biggest party in Dublin since Roche won the Tour de France, and me thinking that none of the journalists at the press conference had any idea what he was talking about.
Apparently he is in town because his girlfriend (i guess he's divorced!) is doing commentary for Eurosport on the World Aquatics champs. So he showed up at the LBS where I bought my bike and where a friend of mine works, and a whole group went on a ride with him this AM. I didn't go, alas, but from all accounts he's a really nice guy and incredibly normal. They did take some photos and I convinced my friend to submit some to the Velonews reader contest. I may yet get to see the guy, he's in town (Riding a trek) for a few more days and I may see him riding around! One thing he commented on was the year he wore the Rainbow Jersey of Doom and he said he only got to wear it for like 24 days since he was injured half the year. He doesn't get to ride as much as he'd like although he has his own life of bikes.
I still remember following the tour that year (in the newspaper,which was about all you got) and thinking wow! He's Irish and he's winning the tour de france! That never happens! I thought it was fascinating.
I still remember following the tour that year (in the newspaper,which was about all you got) and thinking wow! He's Irish and he's winning the tour de france! That never happens! I thought it was fascinating.
I recall Daniel Day Lewis right after winning his Academy Award saying that it would be the biggest party in Dublin since Roche won the Tour de France, and me thinking that none of the journalists at the press conference had any idea what he was talking about.
-ilan
Yes, i can believe that. I wonder if DDL rides himself. Cycling has gotten even bigger in Ireland since then.
AAlso hese days ROche spends most of his time between paris and Nice- sounds ideal! Didn't he win Paris=nice once? And he's friends with Sean Kelly who apparently, when he started working for Eurosport, nearly got fired because he would say almost nothing. LOL!
Yeah... and now that he does talk you can't understand a flipping thing he says... The tour riders seem to spend half their time walking if you listen to him... Oh.. right... "working".. now I see...
Yeah... and now that he does talk you can't understand a flipping thing he says... The tour riders seem to spend half their time walking if you listen to him... Oh.. right... "working".. now I see...
I've gotten used to listening to him on Eurosport and I understand him.I've watched Rugby and gotten used to commentators with thick Afrikans accents and native welsh speakers who are just as hard to understand. You get used to it after a while. And then of course, there are americans....
