Cycle Sport Magazine

7 May 2014

What happens to old bike racers? There are numerous options:TV commentator, race organiser, bike shop proprietor, even journalist. But whatever the chosen profession you can bet they’re going to keep on riding. It’s another one of those cycling things. Endurance athletes in other sports can’t wait to put their feet up. Old fellas (and women of a certain age) may decide to still knock a few tennis balls about, mess about in boats, or on horses, and of course there’s always golf… But as we know, all of the aforementioned ‘sports’ are really only hobbies and stand no comparison to the demanding delights offered by a 100-mile-plus Gran Fondo. Cyclists go on forever. Take Stephen Roche as an example. It’s 27 years since that Tour de France, Giro and World Championship triple crown, but the Irishman is still in impressive form as I witnessed recently at the Cape Rouleur in South Africa. He is now in his 55th year but that didn’t stop the Irishman from fnishing just outside the top 10 in the prologue time trial to be seeded in the fast group. You could say that Mr Roche was a little bit heavier these days, his Lycra did ft very snugly but that made his form all the more impressive. Here’s a rider who didn’t look as though he’s built for speed these days, but appearances were deceiving in his case. Roche certainly still had the legs, and on the fat into headwinds, or on the climbs, he could still set an impressive pace. The Cape Rouleur, a 600-kilometre, four-day, multi-stage event is part race, part sportive, part vacation and Roche was cast as the ultimate holiday rep, fitting between groups, always smiling, always there to lend a helping hand on a climb, or offer advice to newbie riders. Some days he would ride the climbs multiple times, escorting different groups. It was tiring work, but Roche made it seem effortless, even after he was struck down by a stomach bug. Matt Prior, one of England’s most famous cricketers, now also part-time bike rider, suffered a humbling experience courtesy of Roche. The wicketkeeper and batsman had attracted his share of autograph hunters, but on one occasion when he was approached by a potential fan, it wasn’t for his signature. Instead the star-struck rider asked Prior to take a picture of her with her idol, Stephen Roche. Finally Roche rounded off his week in the southern hemisphere with a personal best ride in the Cape Argus Pick ’n’ Pay Cycle Tour, the world’s biggest bike ride. “He’s in the form of his life,” joked long-time Roche watcher, Phil Liggett. Robert Garbutt - Editor