The 1987 Giro according to Stephen Roche

The 2017 Friends of the Podcast series

First released in 2017 to mark the 30th anniversary of his controversial victory, this episode is an interview with 1987 Giro d'Italia winner Stephen Roche.

It was controversial because Roche, in an echo of the 1986 Tour de France, where Bernard Hinault battled Greg LeMond, ended up taking on his Carrera teammate, the defending champion and home favourite, Roberto Visentini.

Over the course of the 1987 Giro Roche and Visentini became bitter rivals: there were dirty tricks, skulduggery, hostile fans and a mysterious crash that eventually ended Visentini's race (Roche makes a subtle distinction: Visentini "didn't crash," he suggests. "He fell off.")

Much of the controversy centres on one day in particular, stage 15 to Sappada, and Roche gives a detailed account of his actions. "I didn't attack Visentini," he argues. "I just rode down the hill faster than him."

The Giro’s maglia rosa was the first part in Roche’s triple crown, as he emulated Eddy Merckx by adding the Tour de France’s maillot jaune and the rainbow jersey of World Championship road race champion in the same season.

Run time: 56mins