Born to Ride: The Autobiography of Stephen Roche - Softcover

On 6 September 1987, Stephen Roche touched greatness. Victory at the World Cycling Championship in Austria completed a near-unprecedented ‘triple crown’ that included triumphs in the same year at the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia. In April, against all odds, he fought his own team and an angry, partisan Italian crowd who spat at him on his way to taking the Giro. In July a superhuman effort at La Plagne saw him secure the yellow jersey just before he blacked out. Roche’s victory in Austria confirmed his virtuosity.

Born to Ride, Stephen Roche’s first full autobiography, uses his best year as the starting point to explore the rest of his life. He doesn’t hold back as he examines the many ups and downs of his time on and off the bike, scrutinising victories, defeats, rivals, serious injury, doping allegations and agonizing family breakdown.

At the heart of the book lies an enigma. For all his charm and rare, natural talent, beneath the surface lies an incredible tenacity and determination. Roche finally reveals himself as a smiling assassin; a master-strategist who lives to attack.

Stephen Roche was born in Dundrum, Dublin, Ireland. As a road racing cyclist, over the course of 13 years, he recorded 58 professional career wins, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the World Road Racing Championship, all of which he won in 1987. Since retiring Stephen has set up and built Stephen Roche Cycling Holidays and Training Camps, based in Majorca and worked as a commentator for Eurosport. Born to Ride is his first full autobiography.