Is it me or does Stehen Roche....

[rich p]

....come over as a bit of a smug, slightly sneering know-all?

He gets on my t*ts so if I'm going to share a pint with a great Irish rider it'll be Sean Kelly!

 

[oxbob]

Yes, and his son is in the breakaway today which appears to make him even smugger. Give me Sean any day he seems to be more likely to say bugger the tea room lets have a pie and pint if you were out with him

 

[Steve Austin]

I like Roche. at least he can get a sentence out without saying erm err every other word like Sean Kelly.

Listen to him!!

 

[rich p]

Listen to him!!

I do, that's the problem

 

[dellzeqq]

.... if I'm going to share a pint with a great Irish rider it'll be Sean Kelly!

I don't think Sean Kelly was ever one for sharing...

 

[rich p]

I don't think Sean Kelly was ever one for sharing...

Okay, I'll buy

 

[Skip Madness]

Generally I think Kelly comes across better and reads the race better, to, but I don't really have any problem with Roche.

I was only thinking the other day about how the guests in the Eurosport studio offer so much more interesting insight into cycling than the pundits in other sports. I am also a fan of James Richardson, possibly Britain's coolest man:

 

[Speicher]

Look at the size of his
















Tarte au chocolat

 

[Priscilla Parsley]

James Richardson worlds coolest man, are you sure? he seems nice enough but he's a bit of a generic sports pundit, cycling deserves better. Stephen Roche though, he's the kind of unpleasant know it all you meet in the pub and a bit snide. love David Harman though

 

[Skip Madness]

James Richardson worlds coolest man, are you sure? he seems nice enough but he's a bit of a generic sports pundit, cycling deserves better.

He has a very quick and dry wit, and knows which questions will get interesting answers. I remember when he started presenting it a few years back he was a bit... noobish, for want of a better word. But he is much more comfortable now.

There can never be too much James Richardson on the telly.

 

[Aperitif]

I agree with rich.
The guests, undoubtedly knowledgeable, are not able to explain a lot of situations clearly enough and James Richardson (as he is charged with the job of 'presenter',) should be interpreting and developing the 'coded' diatribes of others pundits and consequently broadening the appeal of this niche commentary...everything seems geared to a priori knowledge on the viewer's part.
Anyway, Steven Roche must be a proud Dad - he's probably coming across that way because of stage fright, rich!

PS Didn't James Richardson present Italian football on Channel 4, Sunday afternoons - back in the day when it was a novelty to see 'them foreigners'?

 

[Skip Madness]

PS Didn't James Richardson present Italian football on Channel 4, Sunday afternoons - back in the day when it was a novelty to see 'them foreigners'?

Yes, Football Italia. There was a Saturday highlights show and a live match on Sundays, I think. Back when I used to give a toss about football.

 

[PaulB]

How anyone can prefer Kelly to Roche is beyond me. I get an overwhelming urge to say ten hail Marys after listening to Kelly's voice which sounds like it should be coming from behind a screen in a small, darkened cubicle.

 

[jpembroke]

Wait until Sky start showing cycling. Then we'll get stats, graphics, speeds, stuff about the bikes, and a team of class presenters in a decent looking studio.

and you'll be able to select which camera you want to watch.

it'll be great.

 

[yenrod]

Wait until Sky start showing cycling. Then we'll get stats, graphics, speeds, stuff about the bikes, and a team of class presenters in a decent looking studio.

and you'll be able to select which camera you want to watch.

it'll be great.

Until then we put up with Richardson being 'the coolest man in Britain'...