How good was Bob Roll?
08-18-05, 02:48 AM
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Originally Posted by DocRay
That's the tour DAY france. After 4 times, he could have at least picked up how to pronounce it.
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08-18-05, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by baj32161
Ummmmm, did you even read the previous posts in this thread? This has been explained on at least 2 seperate occasions in here.
08-18-05, 04:26 PM
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Then don't post your useless crap. How can you post if you don't read?
04-16-07, 07:03 PM
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bob roll tdf
Hi, Bob was actually the top finisher for the first american sponsored team in the tour "day" france, 1986. Which was also the first TDF won by an American.... Greg Lemond.
HOW GOOD? He also won the Tour de Romandi, just edging out some of the worlds top racers.
and yeah he writes a damn funny book(s) and keeps the TV commentary colorful.
HOW GOOD? He also won the Tour de Romandi, just edging out some of the worlds top racers.
and yeah he writes a damn funny book(s) and keeps the TV commentary colorful.
04-17-07, 05:36 PM
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Bob sucks. He's a xenophobe, and a third rate mind.. at best. He's also one of those people who "believe" that Floyd is innocent....though not because they have any vested short-term interest in the sport, oh no 
04-18-07, 07:33 PM
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Bob Roll was damned good. See answers.com/topic/bob-roll for the complete record. Blaireau has no idea of what he is talking about.
04-19-07, 12:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Blaireau
Bob sucks. He's a xenophobe, and a third rate mind.. at best. He's also one of those people who "believe" that Floyd is innocent....though not because they have any vested short-term interest in the sport, oh no
In Bobbke, he has a lot of positivie things to say about Europe, and racing in Europe. The negative things, I think reflect how hard it is to be a European pro bicycle racer, and how hard it was particularly in 1986.
3rd Rate Mind? I'll grant that Bobbke is not great literature, but its definitely a fun read, at least a second rate mind. And Roll's analysis of racing is a lot better than the beloved Phil Ligget.
And as a bike racer, he obviously was no star, but a heck of a gutty dometique.
04-20-07, 08:05 AM
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Originally Posted by merlinextraligh
3rd Rate Mind? I'll grant that Bobbke is not great literature, but its definitely a fun read, at least a second rate mind
Ok, ok, I agree he's a second rate mind
About the xenophobe comment: i guess I should have said xenephobic And immature. I heard him say on tv that he mispronounces TdF (you know, his trademark Tour DAY France) ever since a French waiter ignored him one day in a restaurant.... He sees it as a revenge on the French, lol....So, heck! I take it back, he is a third rate mind
04-24-07, 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by vpiuva
If you don't like Bob you probably don't even like your own children
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05-04-07, 10:13 AM
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Originally Posted by UNCLECHET
I've got to disagree with you on Bob. Bob's comments come from being there. He was a fantastic rider. I remember seeing him at a mountain bike race in Colorado and the guy was just ripped. He was in incredible shape. He had some good results. Not only that but he took everything with a grain of salt. He always seemed to be having fun! You should read his books. I'll bet you'd like them.
I liked the OLN TDF coverage better when it was just Bob, Phil and Paul. The rest of em are just "filler".
I liked the OLN TDF coverage better when it was just Bob, Phil and Paul. The rest of em are just "filler".
Bob was a great racer, and did the business here in the states.
He also knew how to suffer and did that with the best of them.
He da mahn, like Paul and Phil.
Moe, Larry, Curly of cycling - Wuub Wuub Wuub !
Best sport commentators from any sport
His achilles heel? Hez a bit too 'disco' for my taste
but then disco has been there in most races I've watched on OLN/VS.
and I can live with that...
05-04-07, 06:22 PM
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Originally Posted by bayareabiker
Hi, Bob was actually the top finisher for the first american sponsored team in the tour "day" france, 1986. Which was also the first TDF won by an American.... Greg Lemond.
HOW GOOD? He also won the Tour de Romandi, just edging out some of the worlds top racers.
and yeah he writes a damn funny book(s) and keeps the TV commentary colorful.
HOW GOOD? He also won the Tour de Romandi, just edging out some of the worlds top racers.
and yeah he writes a damn funny book(s) and keeps the TV commentary colorful.
The next 4 riders in order were:
Stephan Joho
Teun Van Vliet
Andres Kappes
Rolf Sorensen
I could only find career results for Kappes and Sorensen. Sorensen is by far the class of this group:
Rolf Sorensen was born on April 20, 1965.
The Danish rider won two of the five monuments in cycling, stood on the podium of the Olympic Road Race, and won another one-day classic.
Sorensen won the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Classic in 1993.
He also won the Tour of Flanders Classic in 1997.
Sorensen was 2nd in the 1996 Olympic Road Race behind Pascal Richard of Switzerland.
He also won the Paris- Tours Classic in 1990.
I'm not sure I'd call him one of the best European riders and he and perhaps Kappes may well have been doing all the work hoping for a good G.C.
Last edited by Keith99; 05-04-07 at 06:46 PM.
05-06-07, 08:03 PM
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I think he's all right. Certainly not as insightful as Phil or Paul, but more "entertaining." I like the blend they have. The odd man out is clearly Trautwig, who is about as clever as an ocelot with a lobotomy. I suppose we overfed, undereducated North Americans really like his brand of commentary. 
05-07-07, 06:00 AM
#91
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Originally Posted by Keith99
He never even finished on the podium of the Tour of Romandi. He won stage 3 of the 1988 Tour of Romandie, big difference.
The next 4 riders in order were:
Stephan Joho
Teun Van Vliet
Andres Kappes
Rolf Sorensen
I could only find career results for Kappes and Sorensen. Sorensen is by far the class of this group:
Rolf Sorensen was born on April 20, 1965.
The Danish rider won two of the five monuments in cycling, stood on the podium of the Olympic Road Race, and won another one-day classic.
Sorensen won the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Classic in 1993.
He also won the Tour of Flanders Classic in 1997.
Sorensen was 2nd in the 1996 Olympic Road Race behind Pascal Richard of Switzerland.
He also won the Paris- Tours Classic in 1990.
I'm not sure I'd call him one of the best European riders and he and perhaps Kappes may well have been doing all the work hoping for a good G.C.
The next 4 riders in order were:
Stephan Joho
Teun Van Vliet
Andres Kappes
Rolf Sorensen
I could only find career results for Kappes and Sorensen. Sorensen is by far the class of this group:
Rolf Sorensen was born on April 20, 1965.
The Danish rider won two of the five monuments in cycling, stood on the podium of the Olympic Road Race, and won another one-day classic.
Sorensen won the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Classic in 1993.
He also won the Tour of Flanders Classic in 1997.
Sorensen was 2nd in the 1996 Olympic Road Race behind Pascal Richard of Switzerland.
He also won the Paris- Tours Classic in 1990.
I'm not sure I'd call him one of the best European riders and he and perhaps Kappes may well have been doing all the work hoping for a good G.C.
Joho was a handy rider and won a Giro stage in '88, among other results. Rode for Ariostea.
Teun Van Vliet was a really class act but had to retire early for some reason. Injury or illness. In his first season he podiumed in the Tour of Lombardy. He won Het Volk and Gent-Wevelgem in 1987 when with the Panasonic team. He also led the Tour one year for a number of stages.
Sorensen, Van Vliet, Joho and Kappes all have better palmares than Bob Roll.
05-07-07, 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by classic1
Kappes was a top six day rider and a sprinter, not a climber. He won a Het Volk. IIRC he won a Giro stage one year.
Joho was a handy rider and won a Giro stage in '88, among other results. Rode for Ariostea.
Teun Van Vliet was a really class act but had to retire early for some reason. Injury or illness. In his first season he podiumed in the Tour of Lombardy. He won Het Volk and Gent-Wevelgem in 1987 when with the Panasonic team. He also led the Tour one year for a number of stages.
Sorensen, Van Vliet, Joho and Kappes all have better palmares than Bob Roll.
Joho was a handy rider and won a Giro stage in '88, among other results. Rode for Ariostea.
Teun Van Vliet was a really class act but had to retire early for some reason. Injury or illness. In his first season he podiumed in the Tour of Lombardy. He won Het Volk and Gent-Wevelgem in 1987 when with the Panasonic team. He also led the Tour one year for a number of stages.
Sorensen, Van Vliet, Joho and Kappes all have better palmares than Bob Roll.
Yes I do agree that all these riders have better palmares than Roll.
05-07-07, 11:35 PM
#93
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Originally Posted by Keith99
Joho's stage was stage 3. That is also the year Kappes won a stage in the Giro, stage 7. (Hey with a starting point I can looks stuff up pretty well). Also turns out that Joho has several Tour of Romandie stage wins.
Yes I do agree that all these riders have better palmares than Roll.
Yes I do agree that all these riders have better palmares than Roll.
05-16-07, 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by bellweatherman
Decent domestique on a not very strong 7-Eleven team in mid 80s.
He was colorful and the other riders loved him because he could relieve the grind of a long stage.
02-10-08, 10:32 PM
#95
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I just got back from an evening with Bobke at a local bike store. The guy was an incredible speaker. No holds, balls out commentary about cycling. That was a fun hour and a half.
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02-10-08, 10:50 PM
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02-11-08, 12:41 PM
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I can't recommend his book enough Bobke II. If you want an insiders look at professional cycling. The book will leave you in stiches. He is one funny writer. Get it at Amazon.
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02-11-08, 03:58 PM
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Bob Roll
His first book (Bobke), is just as good, only harder to find. I think it may be out of print at the moment. I found mine on E-bay. Proud member of the Bob Roll posse !
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02-12-08, 07:24 AM
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Bobke II contains the first book, plus some additional material. So other than collector value ( Amazingly Bobke actually goes for more than face value used) Bobke II is a much better value.
02-13-08, 08:23 PM
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Bobke Rules!
