EP3: Stephen Roche, the Col d’Aubisque, and going to war to win cycling’s 'Triple Crown'

Ireland’s Stephen Roche remains one of only three men to have won cycling’s triple crown – the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and the UCI World Championships Road Race in the same year.

In this episode he joins Bradley and Graham to talk through his extraordinary achievement in 1987, which included today’s feature climb, the Col d’Aubisque, during The Tour.

Hear how Stephen outwitted rivals who thought they’d beaten him, utilising his love of mind-games and extraordinary heart to destabilise his victims.

He recounts going to war with his own teammate to set up the chance for the Triple Crown, and his embarrassment as wearing a skin-suit, now viewed as a pioneer, that took him to an incredible 1985 win up the Aubisque.

Meanwhile Brad and Graham recount the tale of a rider who had to be rescued from a ravine with a make-shift rope made from inner-tubes, and Stephen battles Brad in our Ultimate Cyclist feature as we debate the all-time greatest tactician.

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Contact us: ⁠sirbradscafe@atomizedstudios.tv⁠ 

Café Aficionado is sponsored by CAMS, the UKs leading accident management company helping thousands of cyclists get back on the road. For more information visit the ⁠CAMS website.⁠

Credits

Presented by⁠ Sir Bradley Wiggins⁠ and Graham Willgoss

Guest: Stephen Roche

Researcher: Luca Unwin

Production Manager: Ross Aitken

Social Video Producer: Rosie Mansfield

YouTube Editor: Theo Stocklin

Produced and Edited by: Toby Gilles

Executive Producers: Faye Stewart, Ashley Unwin & Dominic de Terville

Recorded at: Outset Studio London Bridge

Sir Bradley Wiggins' Café Aficionado is an Atomized Studios production.

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