Standing at the edge of the West Gate in Clonmel, an entire Country came to a halt as World Number 1, Sean Kelly, strove for a second consecutive victory in the second ever Nissan Classic. Emotions were running high. Beside me was a local farmer, on the other side was a girl in a Dunnes…
There are two types of bike shops. Those owned and operated by cyclists and those that are just commercial ventures. No prizes for guessing which will give you the best experience. Many of those owner operated shops do a lot more than just sell bikes. Many are a treasure trove of good advice whilst some…
Last Sunday the 2017 Tour de France finished on the Champs Elysee in Paris. It was a short stage and a short commentary day for the TV pundits. Like many cycling fans I spend many an afternoon on the couch watching and listening to the commentators on Eurosport, and had a vision of them doing…
The alarm clock bleating at 5am on a cold and frosty morning in early January is not often greeted pleasantly, but when it means a trip to Dublin airport to board one of Micky Ryans' Aerobuses to the Spanish sunshine, it's not so bad having an early start. Bike racks abound in the red car…
For those not fortunate enough to have made it to last weekends Rouleur Classic in London here is the Sean Kelly Collection that was on display at the event. Barry www.thecyclingblog.com www.seankellycycling.com
Yesterday morning I sailed out of Rosslare at 9am with Sean Kelly en route to the Rouleur Classic in London. The Classic is the Worlds No. 1 cycling exhibition and it is easy to see why when you see so many of the Worlds top brands and personalities represented in such an intimate setting. Our…
Yesterday was an ordinary afternoon in east Cork. People were going about their normal daily lives. Some were at, or going to and from work. Some were going shopping. Some were getting married and some were out walking their dogs. In one part of Cork city a well known visitor stopped by. With the current surge…
Recently I was handed a padded brown envelope. It's contents were unknown before taking a look inside. It turned out to be a treasure trove of cycling memories from Carrick on Suir and beyond. These newspaper clippings might bring back some fond memories for many and also give an insight into the hinterlands that produced…
On this the night before the 2016 Paris Roubaix, cycling fans throughout the World are restless with anticipation of the battle that lies ahead so here is a short post to help you get through the next 12 hours before coverage begins at 9.30am in the morning. One day we were looking through photos for the…
The first ever Sean Kelly Classic Leisure Tour of Tipperary takes place on June 12th of this year, starting and finishing in Sean’s home town of Carrick on Suir . It also coincides with the launch of National bike week 2016. With a choice of two routes, 50k and 115k, through some of the…
Irish Cycling Review had a real cult following for its short lifespan. Recently I came across the edition dedicated to Sean Kelly at the time of his retirement from professional racing. Kevin Kimmage did a great job of encapsulating the mood of the Irish Cycling public in the article below Barry www.thecyclingblog.com www.seankellycycling.com
When Sean Kelly first began cycling he trained with the local cycling group in Carrick on Suir. Throughout his career and multiple years as the Worlds Number One cyclist he continued to train with the local group whenever he was at home. Now that he is retired from competition, in between Eurosport commentating duties he…
On a cold and damp January morning, in a windswept farmyard in the shadow of the Comeragh Mountains a wooden door opened just as the first brightness of dawn arrived. Looking accross the yard at a blue Ford 5000 tractor with its white cab, and a perspex rear window slightly ajar, the young man now…
One day I was out on the bike when the phone rang. On the other end of the line was one of the most famous cyclists of all time Sean 'The King' Kelly. As we chatted he mentioned that he was heading over to the Cycle Show in Birmingham in a few weeks, and if…
Jason O'Brien, who took the fantastic shots of the Nissan Classic going up Seskin Hill in 1985 now shares his experience in words of that fateful day. Myself and a school mate (he can be seen in the bottom right of the Roche pic, red hair grey jumper J ) “excused” ourselves from…
Stay away from all the Kamikazes. I've had them all my life and still can't get away from them !
' 'Degri' put me in to knock a bit of mutton off !'
http://youtu.be/6vcZZ6rMIfs Sunday mornings with the Carrick group usually mean the spin around Ballymac. The group often swells to over 50 riders at times before reducing back down again as those looking for a shorter route turn for home. Some venture further on clocking up over 160k each Sunday morning but the average tends to be 100k…
Q : Why did he choose the sprocket that proved to be too low in 1989 World's ? - Eddy Keogh Sean : Stupid mistake ! ...... On previous days there was always a headwind in the finish straight which made the 13 the correct gear for the sprint. That morning it was still a headwind,…
