A new Milan-Sanremo Walk of Fame has been unveiled, with Sean Kelly taking his place among the greats. Former Italian winners, Alessandro Petacchi, second from left, and Vincenzo Nibali, third from right, were on hand for the opening ceremony (Photo: Massimo Paolone)
Sean Kelly has taken his place on the new Milan-Sanremo 'Walk of Fame', which honours the men and women who have won the 'La Classicissima' since it was first held, for men only, way back in 1907.
Though last year's winners - Mathieu van der Poel and Lorena Wiebes - have star billing in the new Walk of fame along Corso Imperatrice, the promenade in Sanremo, ever winner of the men's and women's editions are honoured.
And that means Kelly is in there twice. He first won the race in 1986, when he rode for Kas, in a sprint from a three-man group, with Greg Lemond (La Vie Claire) 2nd and Mario Beccia (Malvor-Bottecchia).
And in the twilight of his career, in 1992 when he was aged 35, Kelly won it again. He famously bridged across to lone leader Moreno Argentin (Ariostea) on the descent of the Poggio and then refused to pass him in the final before beating him in the sprint.
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That year the chasing group, numbering 30 riders, was just three seconds down on the line. It was led in by Belgian Johan Museeuw (Lotto-Mavic) for 3rd place.
Kelly's wins feature on two plaques along the walk, among the 116 names of the men who have won the race and Wiebes, who won the inaugural Milano-Sanremo Donne last year.
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“The Walk of Fame of Milano-Sanremo and Sanremo Women represents a concrete and lasting way to celebrate the history and values of a race that is unique in the world," said Paolo Bellino, chief of sports and events at RCS, the company that owns the race, and the Giro among many others.
"The Classicissima is a story of achievements, emotions and great champions who have left their mark. This initiative further strengthens the bond between Sanremo and its races, with the aim of building an ever-stronger legacy.
"For RCS Sports & Events, it is essential to contribute to enhancing this heritage, looking to the future with the goal of continuing to grow the international prestige of both race.”
Sean Kelly gets a second mention for his win in the 1986 edition, ahead of Greg Lemond (Photo: Massimo Paolone)
Sean Kelly's 1992 win at Milan-Samremo is listed between Claudio Chiappucci's and Maurizio Fondriest's victories (Photo: Massimo Paolone)
Mathieu van der Poel, last year's winner, has received his 'star' - or handprints - on the new Walk of Fame (Photo: Massimo Paolone)
The 2025 women's champion, Lorena Wiebes, also has star billing along with van der Poel (Photo: Massimo Paolone)
