I gave Bob Roll a ride to Ventura, CA last night

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To those of you who watch professional bicycle racing, I gave Bob Roll a ride from Morro Bay to Ventura last night. How cool is that!!! It was between stages of the Amgen Tour of California.

He is just like the character you see doing television commentary. But even given his seemingly good guy nature, I felt like I had a "Head of State" in the car and that I had to be on my best behavior! Haha!

But I had no worries whatsoever. He was a super cool dude and we talked the entire time during our two hour drive to Ventura. He could not have been a more friendly passenger. Very likable. It will be something I'll always remember. The pleasure was all mine.

Thanks Bob!

Scott

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Don't know him as I am a bike racing neophyte but I have been watching the Tour of California. Interesting. I am confused by the strategies and team orders along with the subtleties of the support cars etc..
 
He might be tired of discussing Lance's history by now, yet did he offer any wisdom or insight into today's bike racing environment since all that went down?
We all really enjoyed Lance (with Roll's commentary) during the early 2000's. Fun times. All to come crashing down the mountain off the road.....
 
Originally Posted by sloinker
Don't know him as I am a bike racing neophyte but I have been watching the Tour of California. Interesting. I am confused by the strategies and team orders along with the subtleties of the support cars etc..

All that stuff is nuanced and a bit complicated. Just watch the race and enjoy the competition and scenery. I live near Cambria, CA which was part of the Stage 4 Monterey to Morro Bay stage. I've ridden that section of Hwy 1 many, many times.

For those of you who think bicycle racing is easy and doesn't pose any serious risk, start this video at 9:50 and watch it to the finish. Keep in mind, when Tejay crashes he is going 40mph, and he is virtually naked. On a bicycle you are sitting up relatively high. Imagine sitting in a lifted pickup truck, and then rolling out the door from up high and hitting the pavement at 40mph. It would hurt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=632&v=crvzaoVCn5A

Scott
 
Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
He might be tired of discussing Lance's history by now, yet did he offer any wisdom or insight into today's bike racing environment since all that went down?
We all really enjoyed Lance (with Roll's commentary) during the early 2000's. Fun times. All to come crashing down the mountain off the road.....

I promised myself I wouldn't pump him for comments about controversial stuff. But let me say this, he said there were worse characters in professional cycling than Lance. Don't for a moment think Lance was the founding father of this era. And while by no means did he justify it, cycling during the doping era was a "nuclear arms race" that most riders felt compelled to take part in, just to keep their jobs and keep earning an income. Many of them had families to feed, just like us BITOG folks. In a way, these riders were being held hostage by the circumstances.

Scott
 
Originally Posted by SLO_Town
Originally Posted by sloinker
Don't know him as I am a bike racing neophyte but I have been watching the Tour of California. Interesting. I am confused by the strategies and team orders along with the subtleties of the support cars etc..

All that stuff is nuanced and a bit complicated. Just watch the race and enjoy the competition and scenery. I live near Cambria, CA which was part of the Stage 4 Monterey to Morro Bay stage. I've ridden that section of Hwy 1 many, many times.

For those of you who think bicycle racing is easy and doesn't pose any serious risk, start this video at 9:50 and watch it to the finish. Keep in mind, when Tejay crashes he is going 40mph, and he is virtually naked. On a bicycle you are sitting up relatively high. Imagine sitting in a lifted pickup truck, and then rolling out the door from up high and hitting the pavement at 40mph. It would hurt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=632&v=crvzaoVCn5A

Scott


Yeah, I missed that originally as the TV cut to NHL hockey with about 5 miles left. I had to get online and check the results. Shame about Tejay but I believe he is still in the lead.
 
Bob Roll had a raw don't give a **** style of writing that told it like it was when he was riding. He suffered as a domestic in the Tours and was able to convey how hard it was. Very cool you were able to spend a few hours with him.

This is how I remember him.
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I worked with Bob's brother Mike in the early 80s and I remember Bob had recently hit the side of a van that had turned in front of him..I think he (Bob) was going ~35-40 mph and he was in a coma for three or four days...only to be out on his bike again within a week or so. He was just a tad hardcore. I seem to remember Bob owned what became the "Mount Diablo Challenge" during that period ( which they've previously used in a modified version in the Tour of California ) which I could never even think of doing.

I'm not into the sport, but I saw one of Bob's race commentaries a couple years ago as I was flipping through the channels and was really surprised. I wouldn't doubt that Bob is as affable and engaging as his brother...his brother was a heckuva nice guy...they look almost exactly alike,
 
Originally Posted by SLO_Town
AZjeff, here is a more flattering picture of him. You know, another thing he said was that in hindsight it was CRAZY that they raced without helmets in his era.

Scott


Except in Belgium, where they were required to wear the old school (I remember racing with them here in the states as well) 'leather hair nets'
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even when the pros were not required to wear them in any other road events.
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Originally Posted by SLO_Town
Originally Posted by oil_film_movies
He might be tired of discussing Lance's history by now, yet did he offer any wisdom or insight into today's bike racing environment since all that went down?
We all really enjoyed Lance (with Roll's commentary) during the early 2000's. Fun times. All to come crashing down the mountain off the road.....

I promised myself I wouldn't pump him for comments about controversial stuff. But let me say this, he said there were worse characters in professional cycling than Lance. Don't for a moment think Lance was the founding father of this era. And while by no means did he justify it, cycling during the doping era was a "nuclear arms race" that most riders felt compelled to take part in, just to keep their jobs and keep earning an income. Many of them had families to feed, just like us BITOG folks. In a way, these riders were being held hostage by the circumstances.

Scott


Yes, it obviously was absolutely WRONG what Lance (and ANY other dopers) did.

But what the non cycling, 'stick and ball' sport ONLY following U.S. public does NOT realize is that the drugs/blood doping did NOT actually pedal the bike forward for them!!
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They STILL had to work their a**es off training/racing to the max anyway, then the 'added help' just put them a bit over their competition which did not use the same 'help' (or just less of it).
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Amazing that Bob Roll was on a team riding in several Tour Dr France.I

Not much difference between the lowest rider and the top rider. All the other riders have to keep up with the designated rider to win while carrying many water bottles and some food!
 
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Originally Posted by JLawrence08648
Amazing that Bob Roll was on a team riding in several Tour Dr France.I

Not much difference between the lowest rider and the top rider. All the other riders have to keep up with the designated rider to win while carrying many water bottles and some food!



Yes, he was on the very first, fully U.S. based team(s) to ride that event, and any others on what is now called the "Pro Tour".

I remember when there were not only NO Americans riding those events, but we enthusiasts/competitive cyclists ourselves here in the states could not even find out WHO won them, at all, as the results were not even covered by our major papers, like the NY Times!
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Originally Posted by dailydriver
I remember when there were not only NO Americans riding those events, but we enthusiasts/competitive cyclists ourselves here in the states could not even find out WHO won them, at all, as the results were not even covered by our major papers, like the NY Times!
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Not long ago I was looking at my 1989 Cycling News issue with LeMond on the cover when he won the TdF by 8 seconds. I think Bobke rode for Greg a year or two.
 
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