Sean Kelly is set to return to our TV screens during the Giro d’Italia after his recent absence from Eurosport’s cycling coverage became a topic of conversation on social media.
The former World No 1, and Vuelta 1988 winner, was a notable absence from Eurosport’s coverage during the spring. And when he was still absent from the coverage of the recent Paris-Roubaix – an event he won twice and is synonymous with – more questions arose from fans wondering where he was.
However, Kelly has told stickybottle he has decided to do only the three Grand Tours this year. He said the Covid-19 pandemic meant when he travelled to commentate he had to undergo a series of tests on departure and arrival and that travel logistics became more complicated.
Because of that, even short trips for one-day races became very time consuming. As a result, he decided he would knock back his appearances a little, just for this year, and stick to the three Grand Tours.
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“Last year when they were doing the programme (of appearances for 2022) Dan Llyod asked me what races, what classics, was I going to do,” he said. “I said, ‘look, if I have to do all the Covid tests going over and coming back, for the one-day races I’m not interested’.”
Kelly said while he was still fully committed to his commentating gig, it had become “a three-day job to do one race” and it had become arduous after a prolonged period over the past two seasons. This was especially so as he mixes his TV work with cycling holidays and other foreign trips.
“The Giro, Tour and Vuelta; that’s my programme for this year,” he said. “They’re the three big ones!”
The Giro gets underway in Budapest, Hungary, this Friday, May 6th, with an uphill finish into Visegrad. The finale of the 195km stage - a 5km climb at 5 per cent - could suit many riders, from the GC men to the sprinters who can climb a little.
