Roche in the pink jersey, Giro d'Italia 1987. Photo by Offside/L'Equipe 

You obviously didn't make too many friends with the Italians. It doesn't happen so much now, but do you think that European patriotism of their own races spoils the events a little? 
SR: In those days Spain wanted a Spanish rider to win, but there's always an amalgamation of different teams coming together. It doesn't happen so much now. It happened that year [1987], and I'm delighted to say that after the Giro and the Tour and everything else, I became a household name in Italy and very much respected. I know now that I can go back to Italy anytime and I have loads of friends there, who would've been my worst enemies in May-June '87. Later on they realised it was very difficult for me to maintain the level I maintained and then to go on and win the Giro and the last stage, the time trial, and then the Tour, it wasn't a fluke that I won the Giro. I would've beaten [Roberto] Visentini anyway.

I guess in the heat of the moment with the press reaction, people didn't realise what you'd gone through until afterwards. Do you think it was a case of fans getting tied up in their sport? 
SR: Not so much that as they realised Visentini was doing all the talking and I was doing all the pedalling. If I'd retaliated verbally, it would've gone against me. But I was basically saying, “I'm not going home.” That was my line. I was there to ride and do my best in the Giro and the important thing was that Carrera won — it wasn't just Visentini v Roche.

Visentini did the talking, while you did the pedalling. 
SR: Well, the Italians saw me attacking Visentini, they didn't see the strategy behind the whole thing. It was only later on when Visentini was shouting, “Roche is going home, Roche is this, Roche is that,” that Roche was still hanging on to Visentini, and every attack Visentini made.

People had to sit back and see that Visentini saying he's stronger than Roche, he's a better rider, but at the same time Roche is responding to every attack that's coming from everyone else and Visentini, Roche is still answering to it, so maybe it isn't a fluke — so then I started getting more respect from different Italians.

You started racing in toe clips and down tube shifters, and at the end of your career you were on clipless pedals and STI levers. It's now gone even further. Do you find a big difference in equipment between now and when you were racing? 
SR: There's no comparison. The bike I'll be riding for London-Paris would've weighed 1.5kg more back in '93. I wouldn't mind having my career today, just to be able to go and ride one of these bikes. Back when I was racing, things like going up hills and having to sit back in your saddle to change gears because of down shift, rather than being out of the saddle today and being able to change gears by the flick of a lever, it's incredible, the time and energy you actually save.

Did you notice a difference even between the start of your career and the end? 
SR: I was there for the start of the integrated brake and gear levers and everything else. I was one of the last guys, with Sean Kelly to go onto the clipless pedals, my feet were always sore from the toe straps; it was a big relief to go onto clipless. So the comfort became more apparent. Guys are going faster and faster today but it's also because of the comfort of the clipless pedals, the carbon-fibre bikes, the 10-speed blocks. It's like going into a car race with the right gears. I prefer having 20.

Your son Nicolas got a good sixth place earlier in the year — what do you expect for him over the next few years? 
SR: I'd like him to be able to win a good race this year. He's prepared himself very well over winter — he's got a good head on his shoulders, a very good physique and he's very serious. So he's deserved that kind of win for a long time but he hasn't got it yet. I think
he has had some incredible performances, but he hasn't had the win to put a stamp on it.

Were you ever reluctant to let him into the world of cycling or was it a natural step? 
SR: I was a chauffeur, with football, running, swimming, basketball; it was important he was doing sports. He came into cycling, enjoyed it, and here he is.

For me it's a fabulous sport — anybody and everybody can ride a bike. OK, at different levels of course, but for fun and pleasure, and the health factors surrounding cycling. For me, the fact that he rode a bike, whether to become a professional or a normal cyclist, the importance was on the sport.

It's good to have a career you enjoy as well.
SR: Yes, of course. The important thing for me was that he had an education behind him, so he could fall back on that. That was the important thing for me, and now he's done reasonably well in his studies and started off on what we hope will be a long career.

Dan Martin of Slipstream is your nephew. Do you think he's capable of big things? 
SR: Daniel's an unknown quantity, he puts in really good performances and he's focused. He's been through a good school now with Marseille and I think he will definitely develop. He has done well in his events so far; he rode a good ride in the Tour of the Mediterranean earlier this year, one of his first races as a pro. He definitely has a lot of potential; this year is a learning curve for him. He should do well on hilly events, I think. He has the potential — now we just have to see how far he goes.

Have you been keeping fit? 
SR: I have — it's been really up and down for me. I ride a bike now and again then I stop for three or four months for the business or whatever and then I get back on again and I kind of say, “Oh no!”

It's always so difficult getting back on and finding form, so I always say, “Never again. I'll never stop again because it's too hard.” Then all of a sudden, a few months later, something else happens and you find yourself with another month or two off.

But now I'm back again, as of January, more or less. I've been riding fairly regularly to keep myself healthy and fit and also, this year I've fixed myself the objective of riding the London-Paris in June, so that's my main kind of goal this year.

You seem to be keeping busy. Are you enjoying it?
SR: I'm trying to do a bit, like keeping my finger in. I have my camps in Majorca that keep me going fairly well with the clients and everything else, and a bit of television work. I always enjoy it.

I like keeping in touch, I like being able to share my passion through the television, through the media. You hear people knocking down cycling and knocking down sport, but people don't realise how gruelling and enjoyable cycling is and I think if the right message gets across to people watching the television they will appreciate more what these riders are doing as well.