Sean Kelly’s Answers to your Questions :
Q : If Sean Kelly was in the modern day peloton, what would be the biggest difference he would observe, as compared to his time? Can I be greedy Barry and ask one more. How does Sean think he would have fared against Froome and Contador etc? – Paul Lafford
A : The biggest difference would be the lack of respect for each other amongst the riders. That holds true from young guys coming into the peloton right up to the guys at the very top.
A : Froome and Contador are totally different riders from the type of rider that I was. They are both climbers, something that was my weaker point.
Q : When is the audio-book version of Hunger coming out?
I’d pay lots of money to listen to Sean narrate his life story…the words would come alive. – D. Power
A : I’m still on the gravy train with the physical book. Once the train derails I’ll think about the audio book. No one wants to get off a gravy train 😉
Q : Did Sean ever race cyclocross competitively? I’d imagine he’d be fairly handy at it… – David Furlong
Yes, in Switzerland during my first year as a professional. I fell off many times. The racing was at a very high level against the likes of Frishnecht, Zeifal and all the top guys. ‘Degri’ put me in to knock a bit of mutton off !
Q : I was wondering which gear Sean used when he was training at the Mahon Falls or Tickincor. Being a Belgian, I don’t have an idea how steap these climbs are. I’m coming to do the Sean Kelly cycling tour next year and was wondering if a 34-27 gear is ok. I’m a well trained rider. – Freddy Jansegers
Now I use a 39 x 25 on both of those climbs but back when I was racing it was more like a 42 x 17 or 19. If you can get over the Bergs in Belgium you will have no trouble in Ireland.
Q : What modern day cyclist does Sean think is the most similar to him on terms of style of rider, overall strengths and weaknesses ?
Peter Sagan would of course be the obvious choice there, but he is like Bertie Ahearn’s famous slogan ‘ A lot done but a lot more to do !’
Q : Has sprinting become too dominated by the modern sprint train? How different in this regard was sprinting in Sean Kelly’s era(s)? Which was a better race? – Pat Breen
Sprinting has become dominated by the modern sprint train but that makes it safer which is very important.
Nowadays more race finishes are in the centre of Towns and Cities. Organisers get away with this because of the sprint trains.
Overall I think nowadays is better.
More of this Q & A with Sean to follow soon.
Barry
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