Born to Ride: The Autobiography of Stephen Roche (Yellow Jersey Cycling Classics) Paperback – September 1, 2013

Quite good overall,learned a lot about Stephen i did not know,balance between bike and personal life was good as well

Great read

Excellent book.

Although I appreciated Roche's candor, concerning the more intimate aspects of his personal life and professional career--the book as a whole does not read well. It is disjointed, lacks organization, and at times repetitive; for example, he often repeats identical sentences in subsequent chapters. If I read it the first time why on earth would I want to read it again?Roche was a legend before my time. I only wish I could have seen him cycle, that is why I purchased the book. I hoped to get a gimps of his greatness and a better sense of the history of the TdF and the world of pro cycling, but the book failed to deliver in that department as well.After reading the book, I'm left with the the overall impression that it was written in haste. I was disappointed by the feeling that his primary purpose was to make a quick buck off his renowned "triple crown" record.

There are some great insights in to Roche's psyche and career here, but the book fizzles out fast once he retires. A good investment if you just NEED to know more about Roche and his era, but fairly flawed as a greater read.

Regardless of all the doping controversies, cycling was and is a sport undertaken by truly the toughest of the tough. I don't think anyone should underestimate what is required to complete a Tour de France Stage, never mind compete and win the yellow jersey, pink and rainbow. Remarkable, good read, good insight, but I don't think we'll ever know the full story. That's not meant as a criticism if individuals or Roche in particular. Cycling at the top level is a different world. The world does not have any black and white answers.

Irelands only winner of Le Tour, Steven Roche is a legend of Irish cycling. Really liked this account of his care and grand tour win.

I'm still relatively new to road cycling so reading books like this is a great way to absorb some of the history. I hadn't really appreciated Stephen Roche's achievements up until reading this. It was a compelling read and it became clear that his treble winning year was not only a wonderful feat but also impacted him and the rest of his career greatly. It's unlikely to be repeated anytime soon. If I was being critical I could say that the book didn't tackle doping suspicions in any level of detail but you sense that Roche didn't feel he had anything to answer. Overall a great story and a book which I couldn't put down

A compelling story well told. Roche was clearly driven like few Irish sportsmen before or since. He was, as he often points out in this book, blessed with natural class. His single-minded, some might say selfish, determination cost him personal and professional relationships. He is at pains to deny he ever doped during his career, though he admits some of the vitamin-replenishing practices he and his peers legally engaged in would raise eyebrows today. If he genuinely didn't cheat (and I find my usually-cynical self a little uncomfortable with automatically assuming he 'must have done') the hurt caused by the cloud of suspicion over his achiements must be more intense than anything he ever experienced in the saddle.

Pulsating and exhausting, adds perspective in the transition from the 'long' to the 'short' Tour de France. To a non-specialist, he explains the tactics and roles of the riders/teams really well. An exciting story from a talented and driven cyclist, no holds barred except for handlebars.

Enjoyed the book and the insight it gave to proffesional cycle racing. It indicated how hard these cyclists work and the chances they take in races.