STEPHEN ROCHE
https://capovelo.com/stephen-roche/ 05DEC2022- In THE GREAT RACE , THE PODIUM A belated happy birthday to Stephen Roche, who was born on November 28, 1959. After completing his apprenticeship as a machinist at a local dairy in Dublin, and following a successful amateur career in Ireland, which included winning the Irish Junior Championship in 1977 and the Rás Tailteann in 1979, Roche joined the Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt amateur cycling team in Paris to prepare for the 1980 Olympic games in Moscow. Soon after his arrival Roche won the amateur Paris–Roubaix, escaping with Dirk Demol and sprinting to victory on the track at Roubaix. Roche remembers how he was told by his directeur sportif that if he did not win “he would be sent home to Ireland that day” . He also finished on the podium at the early-season Paris–Ezy road race and finished 14th overall in the Sealink International stage race, which was won by Bob Downs. However, knee discomfort caused by a poorly fitted shoe pl...