View source for Stephen Roche

{{short description|Irish cyclist}}
{{About||the Irish footballer|Stephen Roche (footballer)|the Irish hurler|Stephen Roche (hurler)}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox cyclist
| name           = Stephen Roche
| image          = Roche - Tour de France 1993 (cropped).jpg
| caption        = Roche at the [[1993 Tour de France]]
| full_name      = Stephen Roche
| nickname       = 
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1959|11|28}}
| birth_place    = [[Dundrum, Dublin|Dundrum]], [[County Dublin]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| height         = {{height|m=1.75}}<ref name="PCS"/>
| weight         = {{convert|74|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="PCS">{{cite web
|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/stephen-roche|title=Stephen Roche|work=ProCyclingStats|access-date=14 April 2025}}</ref>
| currentteam    = Retired
| discipline     = [[Road bicycle racing|Road]]
| role           = Rider
| ridertype      = [[Rouleur|All-rounder]]
| amateurteam1   = Orwell Wheelers
| amateuryears1  = 1974–1979
| amateuryears2  = 1980
| amateurteam2   = [[Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt|A.C.B.B.]]
| proyears1      = 1981–1983
| proteam1       = {{UCI team code|Peugeot|1981}}
| proyears2      = 1984–1985
| proteam2       = [[La Redoute (cycling team)|La Redoute]]
| proyears3      = 1986–1987
| proteam3       = {{UCI team code|CAR|1986a}}
| proyears4      = 1988–1989
| proteam4       = [[Fagor (cycling team, 1985–1989)|Fagor–MBK]]
| proyears5      = 1990
| proteam5       = [[Histor–Sigma]]
| proyears6      = 1991
| proteam6       = [[Tonton Tapis–GB]]
| proyears7      = 1992–1993
| proteam7       = {{UCI team code|CAR|1992}}
| majorwins      = '''[[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tours]]'''
:'''[[Tour de France]]'''
::'''[[General classification in the Tour de France|General classification]]''' ([[1987 Tour de France|1987]])
::3 individual stages ([[1985 Tour de France|1985]], [[1987 Tour de France|1987]], [[1992 Tour de France|1992]])
::1 TTT stage ([[1987 Tour de France|1987]])
:'''[[Giro d'Italia]]'''
::'''[[General classification in the Giro d'Italia|General classification]]''' ([[1987 Giro d'Italia|1987]])
::[[Combination classification in the Giro d'Italia|Combination classification]] ([[1987 Giro d'Italia|1987]])
::2 individual stages ([[1987 Giro d'Italia|1987]])
::1 TTT stage ([[1987 Giro d'Italia|1987]])
'''[[Race stage|Stage races]]'''
:[[Paris–Nice]] ([[1981 Paris–Nice|1981]])
:[[Tour de Romandie]] ([[1983 Tour de Romandie|1983]], [[1984 Tour de Romandie|1984]], [[1987 Tour de Romandie|1987]])
:[[Tour of the Basque Country]] ([[1989 Tour of the Basque Country|1989]])
:[[Critérium International]] (1985, 1991)
'''[[Classic cycle races|One-day races and Classics]]'''
:[[UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|World Road Race Championships]] ([[1987 UCI Road World Championships&nbsp;– Men's road race|1987]])
'''Other'''
:[[Super Prestige Pernod International]] (1987)
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{IRL}}}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[road bicycle racing]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UCI Road World Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold |[[1987 UCI Road World Championships|1987 Villach]]|[[1987 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|Elite Men's Road Race]]}}
{{MedalBronze |[[1983 UCI Road World Championships|1983 Altenrhein]]|[[1983 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|Elite Men's Road Race]]}}
| image_size     =
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| show-medals    = 
}}

'''Stephen Roche''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|oʊ|tʃ}}; born 28 November 1959) is an [[Irish people|Irish]] former professional [[road racing cyclist]]. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming the second of only three male cyclists to win the [[Triple Crown of Cycling|Triple Crown]] of victories in the [[Tour de France]] and the [[Giro d'Italia]] general classification, plus the [[UCI Road World Championships&nbsp;– Men's road race|World road race championship]], the others being [[Eddy Merckx]] and [[Tadej Pogačar]]. Roche's rise coincided with that of fellow Irishman [[Sean Kelly (cyclist)|Sean Kelly]].

Although one of the finest cyclists of his generation and admired for his pedalling style, he struggled with knee injuries and never contended in the [[Grand Tours]] post-1987. He had 58 professional career wins.

==Early life and amateur career==
On completion of his apprenticeship as a [[machinist]] in a Dublin dairy and following a successful amateur career in Ireland with the "Orwell Wheelers" club coached by Noel O'Neill of Dundrum (which included winning the Irish Junior Championship in 1977 and the [[Irish Tour - Rás|Rás Tailteann]] in 1979), Roche joined the [[Athletic Club de Boulogne-Billancourt]] amateur team in Paris to prepare for the [[Cycling at the 1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Olympic games]] in Moscow. Soon after his arrival Roche won the amateur [[Paris–Roubaix]], escaping with [[Dirk Demol]] and sprinting to victory on the track at [[Roubaix]]. Roche was told by his [[directeur sportif]] that if he did not win he "would be sent home to Ireland that day".<ref name="biography">{{cite book|author=Stephen Roche and David Walsh|title=The Agony and the Ecstasy: Stephen Roche's World of Cycling|year=1988}}</ref>

He also finished on the podium at the early-season Paris–Ezy road race and finished 14th overall in the Sealink International stage race which was won by [[Bob Downs]]. However, a knee injury caused by a poorly fitted shoe plate led to a disappointing ride in Moscow, where he finished 45th.<ref name="SportsRef">{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/stephen-roche-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418073248/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/stephen-roche-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=Stephen Roche Olympic Results |access-date=7 May 2015 |work=Sports Reference}}</ref> However, on return to France, August to October saw Roche win 19 races. That led to a contract with the [[Peugeot (cycling team)|Peugeot professional cycling team]] for 1981.

==Professional career==
Roche scored his first professional victory by beating [[Bernard Hinault]] in the Tour of Corsica. Less than a month later he won [[Paris–Nice]] (where he became the first, and still the only, new pro to win Paris–Nice) despite illness following the descent from Mont Ventoux. He finished his debut season with victories in the Tour de Corse, Circuit d'Indre-et-Loire and [[Étoile des Espoirs]] races, with a second place behind Hinault in the [[Grand Prix des Nations]]. In total, his debut yielded 10 victories.

In 1982 his best performance was second in the [[Amstel Gold Race (men's race)|Amstel Gold Race]] behind [[Jan Raas]], but his rise continued in 1983 with victories in the [[Tour de Romandie]], [[Grand Prix de Wallonie]], [[Étoile des Espoirs]] and [[Paris–Bourges]]. In the 1983 [[Tour de France]], Roche finished 13th and he finished the 1983 season with a bronze medal in the [[world cycling championship]] at Alterheim in Zurich.

In 1984, riding for [[La Redoute (cycling team)|La Redoute]] following contractual wrangles with [[Peugeot]] (the settlement of which led Roche to sport Peugeot shorts for two years before winning a court action against Vélo Club de Paris Peugeot) he repeated his [[Tour de Romandie]] win, won [[Nice-Alassio]], [[Subida a Arrate]] and was second in [[Paris–Nice]]. He finished 25th in that year's [[Tour de France]].<ref name="biography"/>

In 1985, Roche won the [[Critérium International]], the [[Route du Sud]] and came second in [[Paris–Nice]] and third in [[Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]. In the 1985 [[Tour de France]] Roche won stage 18 to the Aubisque and finished on the podium in 3rd position, 4 minutes and 29 seconds behind the winner [[Bernard Hinault]].

===Chronic knee injury===
In 1986 at a six-day event with UK professional [[Tony Doyle (cyclist)|Tony Doyle]] at [[Paris-Bercy]], Roche crashed at speed and damaged his right knee. This destroyed his 1986 season at new team {{UCI team code|CAR|1986a}} with little to show other than second in a stage of the Giro. Roche finished the 1986 [[Tour de France]] 48th, 1h 32m behind [[Greg LeMond]], a Tour that Roche described as like "entering a dark tunnel" of pain.<ref name="biography"/>

The injury and then associated back problems recurred throughout his career (for example in the 1989 Tour Roche abandoned after banging the problem knee on his handlebars) and a series of operations appeared to only address direct or consequential symptoms of the core injury. Later non-surgical intervention under Dr.[[Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt]] in Munich made some difference but the injury required constant care.

By the end of his career Roche was unable to compete at his best because of a back problem which led to a loss of power in the left leg. In retirement, he described riding the 1993 Tour de France "just for fun". He finished 13th, riding for [[Claudio Chiappucci]]).

===1987 Triple Crown===
[[File:1987 Stephen Roche Giro TT.jpg|thumbnail|left|Roche riding in the final time trial at the [[1987 Tour de France]]]]
In 1987, Roche had a tremendous season. In the spring, he won the [[Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana]], taking a third victory in the [[Tour de Romandie]] and fourth place plus a stage win in [[Paris–Nice]]. He also finished second in [[Liège–Bastogne–Liège]], the closest he got to winning a professional [[Classic cycle races|'Monument' Classic]]. He blamed it on tactical naiveté and "riding like an amateur".

In the [[1987 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]], Roche took three stage wins (including a team win with {{UCI team code|CAR|1987}} in the team time trial) en route to overall victory and became the first Giro victor from outside mainland Europe. Roche's stage wins that year in the Giro were stage 1b, the {{convert|8|km|abbr=on}} time trial downhill on the Poggio into [[Sanremo|San Remo]] and stage 22, a {{convert|32|km|abbr=on}} individual time trial into St. Vincent. Despite his stage wins, the race is remembered for the stage from [[Lido di Jesolo]] to [[Sappada]], where Roche, contravening team orders,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2007/05/speciale/altri/2007giroditalia/storia-3/storia-3.html|title=La storia del Giro d'Italia|work=La Repubblica |language=it}}</ref> broke away alone early and despite being caught late in the race, had the strength to go with the counterattack and take the pink jersey from his teammate [[Roberto Visentini]], who had been previously leading the classification. His behaviour in the stage gained him the [[tifosi]]'s hatred.<ref name="glory">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/05/cycling.tourdefrance1|title=Roche remembers his annus mirabilis|work=The Guardian |location=London| first=Paul | last=Doyle | date=5 July 2007}}</ref> It was said the only member of his team that Roche could rely on not to ride against him was his domestique [[Eddy Schepers]], although Roche recruited [[Panasonic (cycling team)|Panasonic]] riders and old ACBB teammates [[Robert Millar]] and Australian [[Phil Anderson (cyclist)|Phil Anderson]] to protect him with Schepers on the Marmolada climb (a day known as the "Marmolada Massacre").

Roche finished the Giro exhausted but favourite for the [[1987 Tour de France|Tour de France]]. Following [[Bernard Hinault]]'s retirement, [[Laurent Fignon]]'s choppy form and with [[Greg LeMond]] injured following an accidental shooting while hunting, the 1987 Tour was open. It was also one of the most mountainous since the war, with 25 stages. Roche won the {{convert|87.5|km|abbr=on}} [[individual time trial]] stage 10 to [[Futuroscope]] and came second on stage 19.

On stage 21, crossing the Galibier and Madeleine and finishing at [[La Plagne]], Roche attacked early, was away for several hours but was caught on the last climb. His nearest rival [[Pedro Delgado]] then attacked. Despite being almost one-and-a-half minutes in arrears midway up the last climb, Roche pulled the deficit back to 4 seconds. Roche collapsed and lost consciousness and was given oxygen. When asked when revived if he was okay, he replied "Oui, mais pas de femme toute de suite" ("yes, but I am not ready for a woman straight away").<ref name="glory" />

The yellow jersey (worn by the leader of the [[General classification in the Tour de France|general classification]]) changed hands several times with [[Charly Mottet]], Roche, [[Jean François Bernard]] and Delgado all wearing it before Roche used the final {{convert|35|km|abbr=on}} time trial to overturn a half-minute gap and win the Tour by 40 seconds, which was at the time the second-narrowest margin (in 1968 [[Jan Janssen]] had beaten [[Herman Van Springel]] by 38 seconds; two years after Roche's victory, Greg LeMond beat [[Laurent Fignon]] by 8 seconds). Roche became only the fifth cyclist in history to win the Tour and the Giro in the same year. He was also the only Irishman to win the Tour de France. Irish [[Taoiseach]] [[Charles Haughey]] joined Roche on the podium on the [[Champs-Élysées]].

Later that year, with victory at the [[UCI Road World Championships|World road race championship]] in Villach in Austria, Roche became only the second to win the [[Triple Crown of Cycling]]. Roche arrived with insufficient training although he worked during the 23-lap, {{convert|278|km|abbr=on}} undulating terrain for his teammate [[Sean Kelly (cyclist)|Sean Kelly]] and escaped in the race-winning break only while covering for his countryman. With [[Moreno Argentin]] in the following group, Kelly did not chase and as the break slowed and jostling for position began for a sprint, Roche attacked {{convert|500|m|abbr=on}} from the finish and crossed the line with metres to spare.<ref name="glory" />

Victory in the season-long ''[[Super Prestige Pernod International]]'' competition was assured.<ref name="biography"/>

Roche was given the freedom of [[Dublin]] in late September 1987. Several days later the 1987 edition of the [[Nissan Classic]] began and Roche rode strongly to finish second behind Kelly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.loserdomzine.com/nissanclassic1987.htm|title=Loserdom's guide to the 1987 Nissan Classic|publisher=Loserdomzine.com|access-date=16 October 2007}}</ref>

===Post-1987 career===
[[File:Stephen ROCHE.jpg|thumb|upright|Roche riding an [[individual time trial]] at the [[1993 Tour de France]]]]
At the close of 1987, Roche moved to [[Fagor (cycling team, 1985–1989)|Fagor MBK]], bringing English riders [[Sean Yates]] and [[Malcolm Elliot]], [[1984 Tour de France]] King of the Mountains winner [[Robert Millar]] and domestique [[Eddy Schepers]]. The team was criticised for containing too many English speakers.

The 1988 season began badly with a recurrence of the knee injury and Roche began a gradual decline. In 1989 he again took second in [[Paris–Nice]] (making four second places) and the [[Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme]]. Roche finished the [[1989 Giro d'Italia]] ninth behind [[Laurent Fignon]]. During the [[1989 Tour de France]], Roche withdrew due to his knee.

There were problems with his team and he changed again. In 1990, racing for [[Histor–Sigma]], he won the [[Four Days of Dunkirk]] and in 1991 riding for [[Roger De Vlaeminck]]'s [[Tonton Tapis–GB]] brought victories in the [[Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme]] and Critérium International. In the [[1991 Tour de France]], Roche missed the start for his team's [[Team time trial]] and was forced to withdraw due to controversially missing the time cut.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/1991/07/27/tour_7.php |title=Tour Heads for home stretch |work=International Herald tribune |access-date=16 October 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061122005452/http://www.iht.com/articles/1991/07/27/tour_7.php |archive-date=22 November 2006 }}</ref>

In the [[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tours]], he was ninth in the [[1989 Giro d'Italia|1989 Giro]], and won a stage of the [[1992 Tour de France]] in appalling conditions into La Bourboule (again racing for {{UCI team code|CAR|1992}} but now in support of [[Claudio Chiappucci]]) and en route to a final ninth place. Riding the last edition of the [[Nissan Classic|Nissan Classic Tour of Ireland]], Roche was in many breaks but finished fifth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.loserdomzine.com/nissanclassic1992.htm|title=The last edition of the Nissan Classic|publisher=Loserdomzine.com|access-date=16 October 2007}}</ref> A year later, he was again ninth in the [[1993 Giro d'Italia]] and 13th in the [[1993 Tour de France]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/12/31/spage_1.htm |title=Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly are names etched into the psyche of cycling aficionados. Michael Hearn and Brendan Mooney look back over their stunning careers |publisher=Irish Examiner |access-date=9 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929152753/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1999/12/31/spage_1.htm |archive-date=29 September 2007 }}</ref>

Roche retired at the end of an anonymous 1993 which yielded a single win, in the post-[[Tour de France]] criterium at [[Château-Chinon (Ville)|Chateau Chinon]].

==Doping==
{{Quote box
| quote  = "I have never taken performance-enhancing drugs whether banned or unbanned, on or off the list, at any time. In fact, I underwent hundreds of tests during my career and all were negative."
| source = Stephen Roche
| width  = 33%
 | align  =right
}}
In May 1990, [[Paul Kimmage]] – a former professional and teammate of Roche at [[Fagor]], as well as a fellow Dubliner – published an account of life in the peloton. His book ''[[Rough Ride (book)|Rough Ride]]'' exposed drug use apparently endemic in the peloton but spoke in fawning terms about Roche. Despite this, the publication resulted in a threat of litigation from Roche.

It was reported in the Rome newspaper, ''[[La Repubblica]]'', in January 2000 that [[Francesco Conconi]], a professor at the [[University of Ferrara]] involved with administering [[erythropoietin]] (EPO) to riders on the [[Carrera (cycling team)|Carrera team]] with which Roche had some of his best years, had provided riders including Roche with EPO. Roche denied the allegations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0103/sport.html|title=Sport: Roche denies use of E.P.O.|publisher=RTÉ.ie|date=3 January 2000}}</ref> This was further reported in ''[[The Irish Times]]'' several days later, Roche again denying EPO.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2000/0109/doping.html |title=Cycling: Roche's name again to forefront in doping investigation |publisher=RTÉ.ie |access-date=11 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010830110158/http://www.rte.ie/sport/2000/0109/doping.html |archive-date=30 August 2001 }}</ref> In March 2000 the Italian judge Franca Oliva published a report detailing the investigation into sports doctors including Conconi.<ref name="sportpro">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportpro.it/doping/inchieste/procuraconidicenta05.htm |title=Ufficio della procura antidoping del coni |publisher=sportpro.it |access-date=20 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927234504/http://www.sportpro.it/doping/inchieste/procuraconidicenta05.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This official judicial investigation unequivocally found that Roche was administered EPO in 1993, his last year in the peloton.<ref name="times1">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article1052710.ece?token=null&offset=12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516014152/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article1052710.ece?token=null&offset=12|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 May 2009|title=Sad end to Roche's road|work=The Times |location=London| first=David | last=Walsh | date=28 March 2004}}</ref>
Files from part of the investigation allegedly detail a number of aliases for Roche including Rocchi, Rossi, Rocca, Roncati, Righi and Rossini.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2000/0109/sport.html|title=Roche's name again to forefront in doping investigation|publisher=rte.ie|date=9 January 2000}}</ref> In 2004 Judge Oliva again alleged that Roche had taken EPO during 1993 but due to the statute of limitations, neither Roche nor his teammates at Carrera would be prosecuted.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/tv/20moments/moment_00s_stephen_roche.html|title=No.12&nbsp;– Tour de France winner Stephen Roche denies allegations by an Italian judge of taking performance-enhancing drugs|publisher=RTÉ.ie|access-date=11 April 2008}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Roche lives in [[Antibes]] on the [[Côte d'Azur]]. Roche remained involved in the sport by founding cycling camps in [[Majorca]], taking part in race organisations and working as a commentator on cycling events for [[Eurosport]].

He has four children with his former wife Lydia; the couple divorced in 2004. One son, [[Nicolas Roche]], was a professional until his retirement in 2021,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/nicolas-roche-retires-from-professional-cycling-1.4690950|title = Nicolas Roche retires from professional cycling| newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] }}</ref> and was the 2009 and 2016 [[Irish National Cycling Championships|Irish National Road Race Champion]].

Stephen's brother [[Lawrence Roche]] was also a professional cyclist who completed his only Tour de France in 1991. They were teammates on the [[Tonton Tapis–GB]] team.

Roche's nephew [[Dan Martin (cyclist)|Dan Martin]] was also a professional cyclist and was the 2008 [[Irish National Cycling Championships|Irish National Road Race Champion]].

Roche completed the 2008 New York Marathon in a time of 4:21:09.<ref>{{cite web |title=Individual Results - 2008 ING New York City Marathon |url=https://results.nyrr.org/event/a81102/finishers#search=Stephen%2520Roche |website=results.nyrr.org |access-date=9 October 2020 |ref=nyrr_results}}</ref>

In April 2022 a Spanish court found Roche guilty of fraud and ordered him to repay €733,866 to creditors of his bankrupt cycling holiday company in [[Majorca]]. The court determined he had funded his lifestyle with the company's assets instead of paying back creditors.<ref>{{cite news |last1=O'Farrell |first1=Michael |title=Cycling hero Stephen Roche found guilty of fraud by Spanish court|website=www.extra.ie|url=https://extra.ie/2022/05/01/news/irish-news/stephen-roche-fraud |access-date=2 May 2022 |date=1 May 2022}}</ref>

==Career achievements==
===Major results===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
<small>Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=4555|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130121112846/http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=4555|url-status=usurped|archive-date=21 January 2013|title=Stephen Roche|work=cyclingarchives|access-date=1 June 2015}}</ref></small>
;1977
: 1st {{cjersey|ireland}} Road race, [[Irish National Cycling Championships|National Junior Road Championships]]
;1979
: 1st {{cjersey|ireland}} [[Ireland National Cycling Championships|Irish National Elite Cyclo-Cross Championships]]
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Rás Tailteann]]
::1st Stages 2 & 9a
;1980
: 1st [[Paris–Roubaix Espoirs]]
: 2nd Road race, [[Irish National Cycling Championships|National Amateur Road Championships]]
: 2nd [[Grand Prix des Nations|Grand Prix des Nations Amateurs]] 
;1981
: 1st {{cjersey|white}} Overall [[1981 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
::1st Stage 7b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Étoile des Espoirs]]
::1st Prologue & Stage 4b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Tour d'Indre-et-Loire]]
::1st Stage 3
: 2nd [[Grand Prix des Nations]]
: 2nd [[Grand Prix de Monaco (cycling)|Grand Prix de Monaco]]
: 3rd [[Critérium des As]]
: 3rd [[Grand Prix de Cannes]]
: 4th Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 4th Overall [[Four Days of Dunkirk]]
: 5th Overall [[La Méditerranéenne|Tour Méditerranéen]]
: 6th Overall [[Tour de l'Avenir]]
::1st Stage 7 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]]) 
;1982
: 2nd [[1982 Amstel Gold Race|Amstel Gold Race]]
: 3rd Overall [[Four Days of Dunkirk]]
: 3rd [[Trofeo Baracchi]] (with [[Jacques Bossis]])
: 4th Overall [[Route d'Occitanie|Tour Midi-Pyrénées]]
: 5th Overall [[Étoile des Espoirs]]
: 6th Overall [[1982 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
: 9th [[1982 Liège–Bastogne–Liège|Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]
: 9th [[1982 Tour du Haut Var|Tour du Haut Var]]
;1983
: 1st {{cjersey|green}} Overall [[1983 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]]
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Étoile des Espoirs]]
: 1st [[Paris–Bourges]]
: 1st [[Grand Prix de Wallonie]]
: 2nd [[1983 Tour du Haut Var|Tour du Haut Var]]
: 3rd [[File:Bronze medal uci.svg|15px]] [[1983 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|Road race]], [[1983 UCI Road World Championships|UCI Road World Championships]]
: 3rd Overall [[Route d'Occitanie|Tour Midi-Pyrénées]]
: 3rd [[1983 GP Ouest–France|GP Ouest–France]]
: 4th Overall [[La Méditerranéenne|Tour Méditerranéen]]
: 5th Overall [[Grand Prix du Midi Libre]]
: 5th Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 5th [[Grand Prix des Nations]]
: 7th [[1983 Clásica de San Sebastián|Clásica de San Sebastián]]
: 7th [[1983 Grand Prix d'Automne|Paris–Tours]]
;1984
: 1st {{cjersey|green}} Overall [[1984 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]]
: 1st [[Subida a Arrate]]
: 1st [[Nice–Alassio]]
: 2nd Overall [[1984 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
::1st Stage 6 
: 2nd Overall [[La Méditerranéenne|Tour Méditerranéen]]
: 2nd Overall [[Tour de Picardie|Tour de l'Oise]]
: 3rd Overall [[Critérium International]] 
: 3rd [[Grand Prix des Nations]]
: 5th [[1984 Giro di Lombardia|Giro di Lombardia]]
: 6th Overall [[1984 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré|Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré]]
::1st {{cjersey|green}} Points classification
: 6th [[Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne]]
: 7th [[Critérium des As]]
;1985
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Critérium International]]
::1st Stage 3 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 1st {{cjersey|orange}} Overall [[Route du Sud|Tour Midi-Pyrénées]]
::1st Stage 1a
: [[1985 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré|Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré]]
::1st Prologue & Stage 9 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 2nd Overall [[1985 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
::1st Stage 7b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 3rd Overall [[1985 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
::1st Stage 18a
: 3rd Overall [[Tour Méditerranéen]]
: 3rd [[1985 Liège–Bastogne–Liège|Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]
: 4th [[Grand Prix de Cannes]]
: 5th [[1985 Tour du Haut Var|Tour du Haut Var]]
: 5th [[Grand Prix Eddy Merckx]]
: 7th [[1985 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|Road race]], [[1985 UCI Road World Championships|UCI Road World Championships]]
: 7th Overall [[Grand Prix du Midi Libre]]
: 10th Overall [[Tour of Ireland]]
::1st Stages 3b & 4a 
;1986
: 7th [[Trofeo Baracchi]] (with [[Roberto Visentini]])
;1987
: 1st {{cjersey|rainbow}} [[1987 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race|Road race]], [[1987 UCI Road World Championships|UCI Road World Championships]]
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[1987 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
::1st Stages 2 ([[Team time trial|TTT]]) & 10 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
::Held {{cjersey|green}} after Stages 22 & 24 
: 1st {{cjersey|pink}} Overall [[1987 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
::1st [[Combination classification in the Giro d'Italia|Combination classification]]
::1st Stages 1b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]]), 3 ([[Team time trial|TTT]]) & 22 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
::Held {{cjersey|purple}} after Stages 4–6
: 1st {{cjersey|green}} Overall [[1987 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]]
::1st Stages 5a & 5b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana]]
::1st Stage 4 ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 1st Overall [[Super Prestige Pernod International]]
: 2nd Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 2nd Overall [[Tour of Ireland]]
: 2nd [[1987 Liège–Bastogne–Liège|Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]
: 4th Overall [[1987 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
::1st Stages 1 ([[Team time trial|TTT]]) & 7b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]]) 
: 4th [[1987 La Flèche Wallonne|La Flèche Wallonne]]
: 4th [[Rund um den Henninger-Turm]]
: 5th [[Trofeo Pantalica]]
;1988
: 6th Overall [[1988 Tour of Britain|Tour of Britain]]
: 8th Overall [[Tour of Ireland]]
;1989
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[1989 Tour of the Basque Country|Tour of the Basque Country]]
::1st Stage 5b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 2nd Overall [[1989 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
::1st Stage 7b ([[Individual time trial|ITT]])
: 3rd Overall [[Four Days of Dunkirk]]
::1st Stage 3a ([[Individual time trial|ITT]]) 
: 3rd Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 9th Overall [[1989 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
;1990
: 1st {{cjersey|pink}} Overall [[Four Days of Dunkirk]]
: 2nd Overall [[1990 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
: 5th Overall [[Grand Prix du Midi Libre]]
: 6th Overall [[1990 Tour of the Basque Country|Tour of the Basque Country]]
: 6th Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 6th [[1990 La Flèche Wallonne|La Flèche Wallonne]]
: 7th Overall [[1990 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré|Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré]]
;1991
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 1st {{cjersey|yellow}} Overall [[Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme]]
: 4th Overall [[1991 Paris–Nice|Paris–Nice]]
: 7th Overall [[1991 Tour of the Basque Country|Tour of the Basque Country]]
: 7th [[Grand Prix d'Isbergues]]
: 8th [[1991 Liège–Bastogne–Liège|Liège–Bastogne–Liège]]
: 9th [[Subida a Urkiola]]
;1992
: 2nd [[Giro del Piemonte|Gran Piemonte]]
: 5th Overall [[Tour of Ireland]]
: 6th Overall [[1992 Tour of the Basque Country|Tour of the Basque Country]]
: 7th Overall [[Critérium International]]
: 7th Overall [[Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme]]
: 8th Overall [[1992 Tirreno–Adriatico|Tirreno–Adriatico]]
: 9th Overall [[1992 Tour de France|Tour de France]]
::1st Stage 16
;1993
: 9th Overall [[1993 Giro d'Italia|Giro d'Italia]]
: 9th [[Giro di Toscana]]
{{div col end}}

====General classification results timeline====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|colspan=17 align="center"|'''Grand Tour general classification results'''
|-
![[Grand Tour (cycling)|Grand Tour]]
! scope="col" | 1981
! scope="col" | 1982
! scope="col" | 1983
! scope="col" | 1984
! scope="col" | 1985
! scope="col" | 1986
! scope="col" | 1987
! scope="col" | 1988
! scope="col" | 1989
! scope="col" | 1990
! scope="col" | 1991
! scope="col" | 1992
! scope="col" | 1993
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|yellow}} [[Vuelta a España]]
| [[1981 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1982 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1983 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1984 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1985 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1986 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1987 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1988 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1989 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1990 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1991 Vuelta a España|—]]
| [[1992 Vuelta a España|14]]
| [[1993 Vuelta a España|—]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|pink}} [[Giro d'Italia]]
| [[1981 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| [[1982 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| [[1983 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| [[1984 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| [[1985 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| [[1986 Giro d'Italia|DNF]]
| style="background:pink;"   |[[1987 Giro d'Italia|'''1''']]
| [[1988 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1989 Giro d'Italia|9]]
| [[1990 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| [[1991 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| [[1992 Giro d'Italia|—]]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1993 Giro d'Italia|9]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|yellow}} [[Tour de France]]
| [[1981 Tour de France|—]]
| [[1982 Tour de France|—]]
| [[1983 Tour de France|13]]
| [[1984 Tour de France|25]]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1985 Tour de France|'''3''']]
| [[1986 Tour de France|48]]
| style="background:yellow;" |[[1987 Tour de France|'''1''']]
| [[1998 Tour de France|—]]
| [[1989 Tour de France|DNF]]
| [[1990 Tour de France|44]]
| [[1991 Tour de France|DNF]]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1992 Tour de France|9]]
| [[1993 Tour de France|13]]
|-
|colspan=17 align="center"|'''Major stage race general classification results'''
|-
! scope="col" | Race
! scope="col" | 1981
! scope="col" | 1982
! scope="col" | 1983
! scope="col" | 1984
! scope="col" | 1985
! scope="col" | 1986
! scope="col" | 1987
! scope="col" | 1988
! scope="col" | 1989
! scope="col" | 1990
! scope="col" | 1991
! scope="col" | 1992
! scope="col" | 1993
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|white}} [[Paris–Nice]]
| style="background:white;"  |[[1981 Paris–Nice|'''1''']]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1982 Paris–Nice|6]]
| —
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1984 Paris–Nice|'''2''']]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1985 Paris–Nice|'''2''']]
| —
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1987 Paris–Nice|4]]
| —
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1989 Paris–Nice|'''2''']]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1990 Paris–Nice|'''2''']]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1991 Paris–Nice|4]]
| —
| —
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|spain}} [[Tirreno–Adriatico]]
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1992 Tirreno–Adriatico|8]]
| [[1993 Tirreno–Adriatico|21]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|yellow}} [[Tour of the Basque Country]]
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| [[1987 Tour of the Basque Country|12]]
| —
| style="background:yellow;" |[[1989 Tour of the Basque Country|'''1''']]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1990 Tour of the Basque Country|6]] 
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1991 Tour of the Basque Country|7]]
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1992 Tour of the Basque Country|6]]
| [[1993 Tour of the Basque Country|22]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|green}} [[Tour de Romandie]]
| —
| —
| style="background:lightgreen;"|[[1983 Tour de Romandie|'''1''']]
| style="background:lightgreen;"|[[1984 Tour de Romandie|'''1''']]
| —
| —
| style="background:lightgreen;"|[[1987 Tour de Romandie|'''1''']]
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| [[1993 Tour de Romandie|13]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|Dauphine}} [[Critérium du Dauphiné]]
| [[1981 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré|26]]
| —
| —
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1984 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré|6]]
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| style="background:#ddf;"   |[[1990 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré|7]]
| —
| —
| —
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|yellow}} [[Tour de Suisse]]
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| [[1992 Tour de Suisse|DNF]]
| —
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="row" | {{cjersey|Volta a Catalunya}} [[Volta a Catalunya]]
| style="color:#4d4d4d;" colspan=13|Did not contest during his career
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Legend
|-
! scope="row" | —
| Did not compete
|-
! scope="row" | [[Did not finish|DNF]]
| Did not finish
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Roche | first=Stephen | title=Born to Ride: The Autobiography of Stephen Roche | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OH2tagVVAZ4C| year=2012 | publisher=[[Random House]] | location=London | isbn=978-0-224-09189-3 }}
* {{cite book | last=Roche | first=Stephen | title=My Road to Victory | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEkaAAAACAAJ| year=1987 | publisher=Stanley Paul | isbn=978-0-09-173738-2 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Stephen Roche}}
*{{Sports links}}
*[http://histo.letour.fr/HISTO/us/TDF/coureur/4641.html Official Tour de France results for Stephen Roche]
*[http://www.stephenroche.com/ Stephen Roche's Cycling Camp in Majorca]
*[http://www.stephenrochetourdecure.com/ Stephen Roche's Charity Cycling Race]

{{UCI Road World Champions – Men's road race}}
{{Tour de France general classification winners}}
{{Giro d'Italia general classification winners}}
{{Paris–Nice winners}}
{{Super Prestige Pernod International winners}}
{{RTÉ Sports Person of the Year}}
{{UCI Hall of Fame}}
{{PAP European Sportsperson of the Year}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roche, Stephen}}
[[Category:People from Dundrum, Dublin]]
[[Category:Alumni of Dublin Institute of Technology]]
[[Category:Irish male cyclists]]
[[Category:Orwell Wheelers cyclists]]
[[Category:Cyclists from Dublin (city)]]
[[Category:Rás Tailteann winners]]
[[Category:Tour de France winners]]
[[Category:Irish Tour de France stage winners]]
[[Category:Giro d'Italia winners]]
[[Category:Irish Giro d'Italia stage winners]]
[[Category:UCI Road World Champions (elite men)]]
[[Category:Olympic cyclists for Ireland]]
[[Category:Cyclists at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Doping cases in cycling]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cycling announcers]]
[[Category:Irish expatriates in France]]
[[Category:RTÉ Sports Person of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Super Prestige Pernod winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish sportsmen]]