Home ground of Stephen Roche gets reward as race arrives

Joe Daly sold Stephen Roche his first bike

Joe Daly sold Stephen Roche his first bike. Yesterday, the Tour de France officially set off a few hundred yards from his bike shop and he had to pinch himself.

"I never thought it would happen here." "Howiya Joe," a man said hurrying past the shop. "Did ye hear there's people gone up the mountains to watch the race since half past five this morning?" "Do you have any more flags Joe?" a woman inquired hopefully. But in Dundrum flags were in short supply. Behind the bunting and banners the shopping centre was barely recognisable. There was a band, and set dancers and, looking exotically chilly, a group of besequinned bellydancers.

Local businesses got in on the act with appropriate slogans. Get a head start, said one. Another declared itself a Tour de Force. The local Baptist church handed out specially printed Tour de France leaflets. Jesus was a winner too, they said.

Thousands of flag-waving men, women and children lined the route, blowing whistles, singing and shouting for Stevo. Stephen Roche that is. Winner of the 1987 Tour de France and any other cycling race that happened to be on that year. In a few minutes Stephen would wave the flag to start the Tour officially.

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"And he's from here," a young boy kept repeating proudly. Perhaps proudest of all were Stephen Roche's parents, Bunny and Laurence, who sat close to the memorial erected to their son five years ago.

"It's a great thrill," said Bunny, the lord mayor of Dundrum, sitting beside two of Roche's children Chrystel (12) and Laurence (14). Also among the specially invited guests were TDs Seamus Brennan and Tom Kitt.

As the impressive motor cavalcade rolled down the main street corporate sponsors smiled and waved and best of all, handed out free pens and other souvenirs. "Dear Irish friends," announced one enthusiastic participant. "Are you ready? Welcome on the Tour de France." Suddenly, Stephen Roche emerged, recharging the carnival atmosphere. Tom Fish (85) from Twickenham had travelled here just for the Tour. "I still cycle, I have four racing bikes," he said. "And I went to a Tour before the war." He was dressed in a yellow jersey and blue leggings and clutched a cycling book which Stephen signed.

When the flag had been waved at 11.45 a.m. the riders passed in an almost incidental blur of wheels and colour. Roche said that the day was a thank-you to the people of Dundrum who had followed his career. It was a nostalgic and emotional day for him, he said to cheers. Some teenagers, standing away from the crowds, said they had come because "nothing ever, ever happens here". After yesterday, that can no longer be said about the village of Dundrum.