Cycling - The Racing Post

Cycle Logic - In praise of The Great Bobke

By Diana North

If the good cycling fairy ever granted my wish to ride with any ex-professional cyclist alive today, I would choose Bob Roll without hesitation. Yeah, there are plenty of cyclists who are more famous, more accomplished and flashier out there but I’ve decided that I don’t really care about that as much as I used to. It takes ability, a tremendous amount of dedication and hard work to be a successful pro cyclist. But in my mind the true test of a person’s character is their ability to maintain a sense of humor through it all. And that ability is what sets Bob Roll apart. Not being one to spend time scrutinizing other people’s lives, my newfound admiration for “The Great Bobke” snuck up on me all of a sudden. And I am not ashamed to admit it.

I first saw the Bobke in person two and a half years ago when I rode in the Ride for the Roses in Austin. He was there autographing his latest Tour de France Companion book at the Expo and I decided to stand in the long line for the sake of my cycling mentor Alton who was, and is, a huge Bob Roll fan. I thought the gift of an autographed copy of a book by his hero would be a nice way to repay him for all his encouragement over the years. Mr. Roll was patiently smiling and writing with what I’m sure was a very cramped hand. He used that same cramped hand to participate in the ride the next morning, along with Lance Armstrong, Sheryl Crow, Will Ferrell and Robin Williams. Still, when I got home I mailed the signed book off to Alton and thought no more about Bob Roll.

Then on Dec. 8, I went with friends and hubby to the celebration of the new addition at the Bike Barn store in Houston and had the pleasure of listening to the Bobke reminisce about life and cycling with Greg LeMond. While LeMond recounted his stories of training and the Tour, Roll played comic to LeMond’s straight man and he was funnier than most comedians. In fact I’m pretty sure he is one of the few people in the world who can make a story about riding the Tour with a case of dysentery comical.

For those who don’t already know, LeMond was the first American to win the Tour de France. He went on to win it three times. Roll raced three Tours as well as the Giro d’Italia and Paris-Roubaix multiple times, and now does Tour commentary for Versus (previously OLN). What is less well known about Roll is the part he played in getting Armstrong back into racing after his battle with cancer. It was Roll who Chris Carmichael called and asked to accompany Armstrong into the hills of North Carolina. And it was after their eight days of riding together in the rain that Armstrong decided to enter the Vuelta a Espana where he placed fourth. The rest, of course, is history.

What struck me most about Roll this time, though, were his unpretentiousness and his wacky sense of humor. When LeMond admitted being “bummed” for getting third place in his first Tour back in 1984, Roll said he was “thrilled” to get 63rd place. While LeMond recalled his homesickness during training and racing abroad, Roll remembers eating “a cauldron” of soup prepared by another cyclist’s mother and then napping with a distended belly on the couch. And LeMond’s story about a cook accidentally roasting his cycling shoes after putting them in the stove after a wet ride took on a comical tone, again, thanks to Roll. You could almost see LeMond at the next day’s race with his shoes sliced to make room for his feet, and then duct taped closed. And almost hear the ultra-stylish Mario Cipollini who saw the taped-together shoes and said, “This is the Tour de France winner?” You just have to admire a guy who is can even bring out the humor in other people’s stories. And apparently a lot of people do.

My friend Dave admitted watching previously taped versions of Tour stages just to hear Roll’s commentary. And the guy who sat beside me at the extension celebration said he’s looked everywhere for a copy of the “Bobke II” book. He explained this while holding his only copy of “Bobke: A Ride on the Wild Side of Cycling” tightly in his hand. And this is a guy who has cycled through Italy and has the photos to prove it. Roll’s cycling career is indicative of a man who possessed all the qualities necessary to participate in the world’s greatest bike race. But what makes him so likeable is that, underneath it all, he is just a regular guy. And even though he’s rubbed shoulders and shared pavement with some of the biggest names in the sport, he is refreshingly candid and unassuming.

Roll’s style of commentating makes me think the whole Tour gig is child’s play for him. He does the same job that Paul Sherwin, Phil Liggett and Al Trautwig are known for and these men are practically institutions. For a long time I thought they were more proper and suitable types of Tour commentators. Yet Roll can pull off referring to the world’s biggest bike race as the “Tour day Frants” and get away with it. He can gesture wildly, flash his stellar grin and practically start from his seat with enthusiasm and all the while he remains the boyishly fun-loving voice of experience. So LeMond can tell an audience of 200 that Roll “looks like a Hell’s Angel” riding his bicycle. But I don’t care. That proves that appearances are not what The Great Bobke is all about, and that’s just fine with me.