Ecstatic Roche takes world crown

ONE FROM THE ARCHIVE 1987 CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Jim McArdlewas in Austria in 1987 for the World Championships when Stephen Roche completed a remarkable treble after his earlier victories in the Tour of Italy and the Tour de France

THERE SEEMS no end to what Stephen Roche can achieve. Here at Villach in Austria , yesterday, the 27-year-old Dubliner became world champion to add to his feats of winning the Tours of Italy and France this season.

Only the great Belgian Eddy Merckx has completed this treble in one year. When asked what it was like to be in such company as Merckx , Roche said: "I have now one up on Merckx, no discredit to him."

Merckx won the Tours of Italy and France in 1971 and in '72 and then in '74 at the third chance he completed the treble whereas Roche has done it all first time.

It seemed tougher for Roche after the finish than during the race as he came in for a fierce battering as he was ushered back to the podium. When I eventually got to him, he was wearing the now famous Ireland cap, and I asked what it felt like to be world champion. All he could say was "a million dollars".

Afterwards, at a press conference, Roche said: "It was all a mistake." This remark came when his role in the race was queried as he seemed to be working more for Seán Kelly.

"There had been an understanding with Seán. I always felt if I helped him, my turn would come. With so many sprinters in the bunch on the last lap, I felt I could not win so I made the tempo fast to break the group."

Then when a further split came, Roche went ahead and repeatedly looked back for Kelly who had missed the move. Then Roche decided "I had to take the bull by the horns, with five there I thought I am going to be about fourth here so I jumped after the last corner and just kept going".

And then Roche added with a big smile: "Maybe my role as a domestique was a mistake, I am not going to do it again."

Roche goes for the traditional criterium today after the World Championships, the Grand Prix of Chateaulin in Brittany, and then some other races during the week with an engagement at Oslo on September 13th.

He had been playing down his prospects here, saying he was not properly prepared but there was no doubt about his fitness on the day. He was the only one capable of chasing down breakaways and then he finished it all off in the grand manner by going clear on his own.

In contrast to Saturday's amateur race when the temperature was in the 80s, it was cold and wet yesterday morning as the field of 15O set out for 23 laps of the 12km circuit and the speed was down in the early stages, even below anticipated.

On Friday the women's race over six laps was won in one hour 46 minutes and 40 seconds, while the professionals took 1:52.36 for the same distance yesterday and then at I5 laps, the distance the amateurs covered on Saturday in 4:12.47, it was 4:36.05 yesterday.

The rain stopped after 10 laps and the race only really started on the last few laps and all five of the Irish were still there with Martin Earley and Paul Kimmage still going well; Alan McCormack lasted for 19 laps.

Afterwards Roche praised the assistance Earley and Kimmage gave himself and Kelly when it was needed, particularly Earley.

But Earley paid for his efforts as he was tailed off and he pulled out with two laps to go. Kimmage battled on gallantly to finish in the big group of 54, 43rd at 40 seconds.

A bunch of 65 went out for the last lap but then on the hill for the last time Roche split them when he went to the front followed by Steven Rooks (Holland), with Kelly next in line.

Eleven others joined in and then a few more made up 16 at the front, including Kelly and the titleholder, Moreno Argentin (Italy), and they pulled away with the two green jerseys very prominent near the front.

An attack by Canadian Steve Bauer, on one of the occasions that Roche was not doing the work, caused another break.

Roche got in with him and also German Rolf Golz, Dutchman Tuan van Vliet, one of the Danes, Brian Sorenson, and Guido Winterburg (Switzerland).

Kelly and Argentin, who had taken the title last year in Colorado when Kelly was also fifth, missed the break and were left looking at each other with Argentin waiting for Kelly to chase, but with Roche ahead, Kelly just sat there and the Italian stayed with him.

Roche looked back anxiously for Kelly and stalled a while for him but the others kept jumping ahead and he had to go along.

Then when Roche felt he would not win the sprint to the line, he went for it himself inside the 500 metres finishing straight and pulled off another magnificent triumph.

Roche just managed to stay clear by about three lengths as after a lapse of just a second, Argentin snatched second place ahead of Spaniard Juan Fernandez, Golz was fourth, Kelly fifth and Kelly was first to congratulate Roche.

For Kelly time is running out in his attempt to lift the crown but he was obviously very pleased at his fellow Irishman's win. Kelly is off now to the Tour of Catalonia at Barcelona.

In the betting here on Saturday, Argentin and Guido Bontempi were 4 to 1 favourites with another Italian Guiseppi Saronni at 8 to 1. Belgians van Popple and Vanderaerden and van Vliet were at 10 to 1, with Kelly on the 14 to 1 mark and Roche was in a group at 20 to 1. Then yesterday as the top two stayed the same, Kelly came in to 6 to 1 and Roche took 12 to 1 so someone made money on it all. Roche's prize for winning is £2,000, but the spin-off is incalculable.

Observers here agreed it was one of the best World Championship races and it was certainly great to see it all. But this man is not finished yet and he can go on to set more records.

Placings:1, S Roche (Ireland) 6.50.02; 2, M Argentin (Italy) at one second; 3, J Fernandez (Spain); 4, R Golz (West Germany); 5, S Kelly (Ireland); 6, S Rooks (Holland); 7. F van Vliet (Holland); 8, B Sorensen (Denmark); 9, E Breukink (Holland); 10, C Criquislion (Belgium); 11, G Winterberg (Switzerland); 12, J Mueller (Switzerland) all same time. 43, Paul Kimmage (Ireland) at 40 seconds.