Sean Kelly

This week's profile is on Irish classic's power house Sean Kelly.

Born in Carrick-on-Suir, Ireland, in 1956 Sean Kelly was the pre-eminent classics rider of his generation winning multiple monuments, and the 1988 Vuelta a Espana.Kelly also had an unprecidented run of 7 back to back Paris-Nice titles, which to this day remains the most by any rider.

Kelly's career spanned from the time of Eddy Merckx in the mid 1970's through to the onset of the 'EPO' era and Miguel Indurain, a career unique in its breadth but one where Kelly was able to win significant races from almost the very beginning to the very end. It's notable that his first Tour de France was also the first for a certain Bernard Hinault and the two came face to face at the sharp end of the sprint finish on Stage 15 that year. Kelly dominated in the Super Prestige Pernod International which at the time formed a season long league complied of all cycling results.

One of the most notable races missing from his Palmares is the Tour of Flanders, although he came close on many occasions not least on in 1986 where he finished second to Adri Vanderpoel.