{"id":57,"date":"2016-06-21T10:22:07","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T10:22:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2016\/06\/21\/theres-no-limits-incredible-story-ste\/"},"modified":"2017-02-14T15:00:34","modified_gmt":"2017-02-14T15:00:34","slug":"theres-no-limits-incredible-story-ste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2016\/06\/21\/theres-no-limits-incredible-story-ste\/","title":{"rendered":"There are no limits for Champion\u2019s Champion: The Incredible Story of Stephen Roche"},"content":{"rendered":"

Very few people have won a Tour de France and only eight cyclists have won two Grand Tours in a year. Seven have won both a Grand Tour and The World Championships in the same year. But only two cyclists in history have won The Triple Crown of Cycling \u2013 Le Tour de France, the Giro d\u2019Italia and The World Championships in the same year. Those legends are Eddie \u201cThe Cannibal\u201d Merckx, and an unassuming Irishman called Stephen Roche.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The brightest candle burns the shortest<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Unfortunately, Roche\u2019s very promising career was cut short by a devastating knee injury in 1986. Roche kept racing at the highest level until the 1993 Tour de France, which he competed in \u201cjust for fun\u201d. He finished 13th\u00a0despite the fact that his left leg was unable to deliver any meaningful power. Nonetheless, Roche decided to go for broke, and it\u2019s likely that he raced the 1987 season as if it was his last.<\/p>\n

\"Very<\/p>\n

Riding like an amateur<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Roche made an explosive start to the 1987 season by winning the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, and gaining a few more podium places in The Classics. Despite this, Roche\u2019s sense of urgency led him to criticise his own technique, and he said he was \u201criding like an amateur\u201d. He then took 3 stages in the Giro d\u2019Italia before coming first overall. Not bad for an amateur.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no limits<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The greatest cyclists push themselves beyond the limits set by our instincts. When you\u2019re hungry, you eat. When your knee aches and your lungs burn with the effort, you stop. Roche had a Champion\u2019s ability to push past the limits, but he used the skill judiciously. Stage 21 of his 1987 Tour de France victory was enough to make Roche a legend.<\/p>\n

\"But<\/p>\n

The Passion of the Roche<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After stage 20, Roche was trailing his rival Delgado. Roche respected Delgado\u2019s climbing ability, and believed Delgado would pace himself until he attacked up La Plagne. Roche attacked early, with a solitary 2,000m climb up the Col de la Madeleine.<\/p>\n

Delgado caught up and attacked as Roche had predicted. Roche let Delgado take a one-minute advantage, hoping Delgado would relax enough so his lead wouldn\u2019t be extended. Once Delgado had that lead, to the astonishment of the commentators, Roche skipped up to the big plate and powered through the remainder of the climb.<\/p>\n

The Irish Legend<\/strong><\/h3>\n

So monumental was Roche\u2019s effort that he lost consciousness and collapsed at the end of the stage. He was pulled onto an ambulance and given oxygen. When he woke up, he was asked if he was ok, to which he responded, \u201cYes\u2026\u00a0 but I am not ready for a woman just yet\u201d. Roche\u2019s decision to avoid temptation was judicious \u2013 he went on to win the 1987 Tour de France, 40 seconds ahead of Delgado.<\/p>\n

\"Roche<\/p>\n

Beyond the victory<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Cyclists who achieve greatness can assess what is truly important in life. Roche once said, \u201cI never want to abandon my bike. I see my grandfather, now in his seventies and riding around everywhere. To me that is beautiful. And the bike must always remain a part of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that is what makes Roche the Champion\u2019s Champion. If you\u2019d like to meet Stephen and have a little morning ride on the scenic French roads with him, just enter our contest<\/a> for the chance to win an all-inclusive trip to see the Tour de France including a helicopter flyover of the peloton, and much more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Very few people have won a Tour de France and only eight cyclists have won two Grand Tours in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":146553,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[329],"tags":[845,846,433,844],"global-categories":[],"class_list":["post-57","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-road-cycling","tag-tdf","tag-tdf-2016","tag-tour-de-france","tag-tour-de-france-2016"],"yoast_head":"\nThere are no limits for Champion\u2019s Champion: The Incredible Story of Stephen Roche - \u0160koda We Love Cycling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Very few people have won a Tour de France and only eight cyclists have won two Grand Tours in a year. 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