Roberto Vacchi
Roberto Vacchi in 2014
Personal information
Full nameRoberto Vacchi
Born (1965-11-28) November 28, 1965
Stockholm, Sweden
Team information
RoleRider
Commentator

Roberto Ivano Luca Vacchi (born November 28, 1965, in Stockholm) is an Italian-Swedish retired racing cyclist and a sports commentator on Eurosport. He commentates cross-country skiing and a variety of other sports, but is most known for his cycling coverage together with Anders Adamson. Vacchi also works as an announcer at the Swedish national football team's home matches, Vasaloppet, Royal Palace Sprint and other events.

Biography

Roberto Vacchi was born in Stockholm in 1965, to his two Italian parents who emigrated to Sweden in the 1950s. At the age of 9, his family moved back to Italy to La Spezia where he discovered competitive cycling. After a few years in Italy they moved back to Sweden. There he continued his career in cycling with Hammarby IF (1978–79), Spårvägens GoIF (1980–1991) and in 1992 Västerås CK, where he ended his career, tired of the bad economic situation that came with competitive cycling at elite level.[1]

In 1993, whilst working for the Swedish Cycling Association, Eurosport approached Vacchi with an offer to commentate cycling on TV. In the beginning he did not comment much, but eventually it became a full-time job.[2] He has credited Bengt Grive as his mentor during the first years at Eurosport.[3]

Vacchi is known for his enthusiastic commentary on cycling races and for his vast knowledge of the sport as well as being able to give detailed geographical, cultural and historical information on places around the tours.[4] Together with his colleague Anders Adamson, Vacchi is often considered one of Sweden's best sport commentators.[5] His favourite cyclist is Italian Fausto Coppi.[2]

Vacchi also works as the press director for the Swedish Ski Association and as the editor-in-chief of the cross-country skiing magazine Glid.

References

  1. ↑ Roberto Vacchi (7 September 2007). "Biografi". Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  2. 1 2 Thomas Lind (2007-08-17). "Man känner sig blåst". Dalarnas Tidningar. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  3. ↑ "Med Roberto behöver ingen vara ute och cykla". Dala-Demokraten. 2005-07-02. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  4. ↑ Janna Roosch Haraldsson (2006-08-02). "Cyklingen kommer jag aldrig tröttna på". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  5. ↑ Jan Semneby (2003-12-27). "I tv-soffan är det lätt att falla för Tour de France". Svenska Dagbladet. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
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