Sean Kelly (cyclist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sean Kelly

Kelly in 2009
Personal information
Full name	John James Kelly
Nickname	King Kelly
Born	(1956-05-24) 24 May 1956 (age 69) Waterford City, County Waterford, Ireland
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	77 kg (170 lb; 12 st 2 lb)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-rounder
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France Points classification (1982, 1983, 1985, 1989) Intermediate sprints classification (1982, 1983, 1989) 5 individual stages (1978, 1980, 1981, 1982) Vuelta a España General classification (1988) Points classification (1980, 1985, 1986, 1988) Combination classification (1986, 1988) 16 individual stages (1979, 1980, 1985–1988) Stage races Paris–Nice (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988) Tour de Suisse (1983, 1990) Tour of the Basque Country (1984, 1986, 1987) Volta a Catalunya (1984, 1986) One-day races and Classics Milan–San Remo (1986, 1992) Paris–Roubaix (1984, 1986) Liège–Bastogne–Liège (1984, 1989) Giro di Lombardia (1983, 1985, 1991) Gent–Wevelgem (1988) GP Ouest–France (1984) Paris–Tours (1984) Other Super Prestige Pernod International (1984–1986) UCI Road World Cup (1989)

John James 'Sean' Kelly (born May 24, 1956) is a famous Irish former professional road bicycle racer. He was one of the best cyclists in the 1980s. Many people think he was one of the greatest "Classics" riders ever.

From 1977 until he retired in 1994, he won 193 professional races. This includes nine of the biggest one-day races, called "Monument Classics." He also won the Paris–Nice race seven times in a row, which is a record! In 1989, he won the first ever UCI Road World Cup.

Kelly won one major multi-day race, the Grand Tour, called the Vuelta a España in 1988. He also won the green jersey four times in the Tour de France. The green jersey is for the best sprinter. He won many times in races like Giro di Lombardia, Milan–San Remo, Paris–Roubaix, and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. He also got second place three times in the Tour of Flanders, which was the only Monument race he didn't win.

Sean Kelly won bronze medals twice at the Road World Championships (in 1982 and 1989). In 1984, he became the first cyclist to be ranked World No.1. He held this top spot for five years in a row! In 1984 alone, Kelly won 33 races.

Early Life and First Races

Sean Kelly was born on May 24, 1956, in Waterford City, Ireland. His parents, Jack and Nellie Kelly, were farmers. His real name is John James Kelly, but everyone called him "Sean" to avoid confusion. "Seán" is the Irish way of saying John.

Sean went to Crehana National School in County Waterford for eight years. He and his older brother, Joe, cycled about a mile and a half to school every day. Joe later said, "I suppose we were like most young fellows at that age – walking was too dull."

Sean was very shy at school. He felt like other students were smarter than him, so he didn't talk much. He left school at 13 to help on the family farm because his father was sick. When he was 16, he started working as a bricklayer.

In 1969, a new cycling club, Carrick Wheelers Road Club, visited Joe's school. They invited students to join a cycling league. Joe was very interested and started winning races. He joined the Carrick Wheelers club. Sean often followed in Joe's footsteps, so he soon joined too.

On August 4, 1970, when Sean was 14, he raced for the first time. It was an eight-mile (12.87 km) handicap race in Carrickbeg, County Tipperary. In a handicap race, slower riders start first, and faster riders start later. Sean started three minutes before the fastest riders, including his brother Joe. He won the race, still three minutes ahead at the finish line!

In July 1972, at age 16, he won the National Junior Road Championships. He won it again in 1973. In 1974, he got a senior cycling license, even though he was still young enough to race as a junior. That year, at 17, he won the Shay Elliott Memorial Race. He won ten races as a senior rider that season.

In 1975, Kelly won the Shay Elliott Memorial Race again. He also won three stages and the mountains jersey in the Tour of Ireland. He won a stage in the 1975 Tour of Britain, beating future Olympic champion Bernt Johansson. His success caught the eye of John Morris, who helped him get a spot on an amateur team in France, Velo Club Metz-Woippy.

Amateur Racing in France

The man who discovered Sean Kelly, Jean de Gribaldy.

In August 1975, Sean Kelly was offered a place on the V. C Metz-Woippy amateur team in France. He decided to think about it. Before joining, he went to South Africa for a race called the Rapport Toer. He and two other Irish riders raced under different names because of a rule against athletes competing there at the time.

When the Irish Cycling Federation found out, Kelly and the others were suspended from racing for seven months. This was later reduced to six months. They were also not allowed to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games.

After his suspension, Kelly joined Velo Club Metz in June 1976. The club offered him free housing, money each week, and new cycling gear if his got damaged. He was very motivated when he learned he would get extra money for every race he won. In five months with the club, Kelly won 18 of the 25 races he entered. His biggest win was the Piccolo Giro di Lombardia in Italy.

Kelly earned a good amount of money from racing with Velo Club Metz. He planned to return for the 1977 season and convinced his friend Pat McQuaid to join him.

During his time with Velo Club Metz, Kelly's strong riding caught the attention of Jean-Pierre Douçot, a talent scout. Douçot told Jean de Gribaldy, a team manager from France, about Kelly. De Gribaldy was putting together a French team for the Belgian professional team, Flandria–Velda–Latina Assicurazioni. Kelly's win at the Piccolo Giro di Lombardia especially impressed de Gribaldy.

In December 1976, Jean de Gribaldy flew to Ireland to meet Kelly. He offered Kelly a contract to become a professional cyclist. Kelly talked to his friends for advice and then negotiated a better deal. De Gribaldy agreed, and Kelly signed his first professional contract with Flandria.

In January 1977, Kelly moved to Besançon, France, de Gribaldy's hometown. He lived in an apartment above a bike shop with four teammates.

Professional Cycling Career

Starting Out Strong

Flandria was a Belgian cycling team. They made bicycles and other vehicles. They wanted to grow their business in France, so they hired Jean de Gribaldy to create a French team. This French team mostly raced in smaller events. If riders did well, they could move up to the main Belgian team.

On February 7, 1977, Kelly raced for the first time as a professional. It was the first stage of the Étoile de Bessèges race. He did very well, finishing tenth in the first stage and third overall. A few weeks later, he almost won his first professional race at the Tour Méditerranéen. The judge said another rider won, but a photo later showed Kelly actually crossed the line first.

On March 6, 1977, Kelly got his first professional win in Switzerland. His strong start impressed the main Flandria team, and he was chosen to race with them at the 1977 Paris–Nice. He helped his teammate Freddy Maertens win the race.

In May 1977, Kelly won his first stage in a major professional race, the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland. He also won a French race, Circuit de l'Indre, beating the legendary Eddy Merckx in a sprint. By October 1977, he had four wins in his first professional season.

Kelly stayed with de Gribaldy's team in 1978. He raced in his first Tour de France and won a stage. At the end of 1978, he left to join a new team called Splendor. This team offered him more money and made him a team leader. However, Splendor had some problems with equipment and management. Despite this, Kelly rode well for himself.

Winning Big Races

Sean Kelly, second from right, showing his sprinting prowess at the 1981 Züri-Metzgete.

By this time, Kelly was known as a great sprinter. But his manager, de Gribaldy, believed he could win longer stage races too. De Gribaldy encouraged Kelly to lose weight to become a better all-around rider. Kelly then aimed to win the Paris–Nice race. He won Paris–Nice and four of its stages in 1982.

That year, he also won the points classification (green jersey) at the Tour de France. He got five second-place finishes on flat stages before winning a stage in Pau. His points total was almost three times higher than the second-place rider. He also won a bronze medal at the 1982 Road World Championships. This was the first world medal for an Irish rider in 20 years.

At the end of 1982, Kelly married Linda Grant. His hometown, Carrick-on-Suir, named the town square "Sean Kelly Square" to celebrate his achievements.

In 1983, Kelly won Paris–Nice for the second time. He also won his first Critérium International and Tour de Suisse. He won the green jersey at the Tour de France for the second year in a row. He wore the famous yellow jersey (for the overall leader) for one day in the 1983 Tour de France, during a tough mountain stage.

In autumn 1983, Kelly showed his amazing talent by winning the Giro di Lombardia. This was his first "Monument" win, which are the biggest one-day races. He won a close sprint against other cycling stars.

Kelly had an incredible year in 1984. He won Paris–Nice for the third time. He also won Paris–Roubaix and Liège–Bastogne–Liège, two more Monument races. The French newspaper L'Équipe called him "Insatiable Kelly!" because he kept winning. He won all three stages of the Critérium International. In total, Kelly won 33 races in 1984. He also finished fifth in the Tour de France, showing he was becoming a strong contender for overall wins in Grand Tours.

In 1985, he won Paris–Nice again. He also won three stages at the Vuelta a España. He won the green jersey at the Tour de France for the third time and finished fourth overall. He also won the first Nissan International Classic and the Giro di Lombardia again.

In 1986, Kelly won Milan–San Remo and Paris–Roubaix in the same year. This is a very rare achievement. He is one of only four riders to do this. He also won Paris–Nice again. He finished second in the Tour of Flanders and won the Tour of the Basque Country. Kelly had a very busy racing schedule, competing 34 times by mid-1986. He finished third in the Vuelta a España, winning two stages. He missed the 1986 Tour de France due to injuries from a crash. He returned to win the Nissan Classic again. He won over 30 races in 1986.

In 1987, Kelly won Paris–Nice for the seventh time in a row, a record! He was leading the Vuelta a España but had to stop due to a painful saddle sore. He also had to leave the Tour de France after breaking his collarbone. He finished fifth at the Road World Championships and won the Nissan Classic for the third time.

In 1988, Kelly won Gent–Wevelgem.

Grand Tour Victory

Kelly (right) with Etienne De Wilde in 1988.

In April 1988, Kelly returned to the Vuelta a España. His team had a tough start in the mountains. But on the Spanish mainland, Kelly focused on winning sprint bonuses. He caught up time and then did very well in the mountain stages.

On the second-to-last day, Kelly was 21 seconds behind the leader. He rode incredibly fast in the time trial and beat the leader by almost two minutes. The next day, Kelly won his only Grand Tour title, the 1988 Vuelta a España! He also won the points competition. After his big win, Carrick-on-Suir held a parade to celebrate him.

Later Career

Sean Kelly with PDM–Ultima–Concorde at the 1989 Tour de France.

In 1989, Kelly joined the Dutch PDM–Ultima–Concorde team. He won Liège–Bastogne–Liège for the second time. That same year, he won the green jersey at the Tour de France for the fourth time. He also won the first ever UCI Road World Cup championship. He earned another bronze medal at the 1989 Road World Championships.

Kelly won the Tour de Suisse for the second time in 1990. In 1991, he broke his collarbone during the Paris–Nice race. Later that year, his whole PDM team had to leave the Tour de France due to illness. In August 1991, Kelly stopped racing to be with his family after his brother Joe was sadly killed in a cycling accident. He came back to win his fourth Nissan Classic and the Giro di Lombardia again.

Kelly (left) with the Festina–Lotus team at the 1993 Paris–Nice.

In 1992, Kelly moved to the Lotus–Festina team. Many thought he was past his best, but he proved them wrong. He won Milan–San Remo for the second time in an exciting sprint finish. This was his last big "Classic" win.

Kelly raced in the Giro d'Italia for the first and only time in 1992. His team was allowed to enter if Kelly was on the team. He left the race after stage 16, as he had planned with his team manager.

In 1994, Kelly's last year as a professional, he rode for Catavana. He returned to Carrick-on-Suir for his final professional race, the annual Hamper race. Many famous cyclists and even the President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, were there. Kelly won the race in a sprint against Stephen Roche. He won this local race again six years later.

Sean Kelly's Cycling Style

Plaque on the cobbled section, Espace Charles Crupelandt of the Paris–Roubaix, honouring Kelly's victories in 1984 and 1986.

Sean Kelly raced during a time with many cycling legends like Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault. He competed against and beat many top riders. His success shows how dominant he was in cycling. He won the Super Prestige Pernod International competition three times, which was a major award for the best rider of the season.

Kelly was an "all-rounder" cyclist. This means he was good at many different things. While some sprinters only wait for the final sprint, Kelly could attack and climb well. He proved this by winning the Vuelta a España and a stage of Paris–Nice on the tough Mont Ventoux climb.

His wins in Paris–Roubaix (1984, 1986) showed he was excellent in bad weather and on rough, cobbled roads. He could also keep up with climbing specialists in the mountains during the Tour de France. He was also very fast at going downhill, reaching speeds of 124 km/h (77 mi/h) in the 1984 Tour de France.

Kelly finished fourth in the Tour de France in 1985. He won the points classification (green jersey) four times in the Tour de France (1982, 1983, 1985, 1989). He was the first to do this. He also won the points classification four times in the Vuelta a España. Kelly won five stages in the Tour de France and 16 stages in the Vuelta a España.

He was also a great time trialist. In 1985, he set a record for the fastest average speed in a time trial over 20 km. This record stood for four years.

After Cycling

Sean Kelly now works as a cycling commentator for Eurosport, an English-language sports channel. People say he gives great insights into races. He often commentates on big races like the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España.

He has also started the Sean Kelly Cycling Academy in Belgium. In 2006, he launched Ireland's first professional cycling team, Sean Kelly ACLVB–M.Donnelly. This team helps young Irish and Belgian riders. He also has a cycling clothing company and organizes cycling events.

Kelly rides in long-distance charity cycling tours to raise money for good causes. He also takes part in charity endurance events in different countries. Sean Kelly often cycles with SportActive cycling holidays in Mallorca.

The first Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford was held in 2007. Kelly himself was one of the 910 people who took part. This event grew very popular, with over 8,000 cyclists participating in 2011. The tour ran every year until 2017.

Awards and Recognition

In December 1986, Sean Kelly won the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year Award in Ireland. In 2005, he received the Mick Doyle Golden Memory Award. In 2013, he was given an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from Dublin City University for his contributions to Irish sport. In 2019, he received a lifetime achievement award at the Cycling Weekly Awards in London.

Career Achievements

Major Results

Sources:

Grand Tour and Major Stage Race Results

Sources:

Grand Tour general classification results timeline
Grand Tour	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Vuelta a España	—	—	DNF	4	—	—	—	—	9	3	DNF	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Giro d'Italia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	DNF	—	—
Tour de France	—	34	38	29	48	15	7	5	4	—	DNF	46	9	30	DNF	43	—	—
Major stage race general classification results timeline
Major Stage Race	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
Paris–Nice	40	12	—	—	—	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	—	—	—	—	43	57
Tirreno–Adriatico	—	—	19	32	25	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7	6	—	50	—	—
Tour of the Basque Country	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	6	1	1	17	—	—	—	—	—	—
Tour de Romandie	10	DNF	—	—	—	23	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Critérium du Dauphiné	29	—	—	DNF	DNF	15	47	—	21	—	—	—	DNF	28	29	—	—	DNF
Tour de Suisse	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	4	4	DNF	—	16	18	1	11	18	35	—
Volta a Catalunya	12	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	2	1	5	DNF	—	9	—	—	24	—

Monument Race Results

Sources:

Major Championships Results

Sources:

Event	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994
World Championships	16	DNF	9	DNF	42	3	8	DNF	35	5	5	25	3	5	DNF	63	49	—

Images for kids

• 

  The man who discovered Sean Kelly, Jean de Gribaldy.

• 

  Sean Kelly, second from right, showing his sprinting prowess at the 1981 Züri-Metzgete.

• 

  Kelly (right) with Etienne De Wilde in 1988.

• 

  Sean Kelly with PDM–Ultima–Concorde at the 1989 Tour de France.

• 

  Kelly (left) with the Festina–Lotus team at the 1993 Paris–Nice.

• 

  Plaque on the cobbled section, Espace Charles Crupelandt of the Paris–Roubaix, honoring Kelly's victories in 1984 and 1986.

See also

In Spanish: Sean Kelly para niños

• Irish cyclists
• Yellow jersey statistics