The jerseys - 38
ITEM N° 156
KELLY Sean (IRL)
(24.05.1956)
The yellow jersey of the 1988 Vuelta a España winner
Born on 24 May 1956 in Curraghduff, near Carrick-on-Suir, Sean Kelly was one of the most well-rounded and successful cyclists of the 1980s. Nicknamed ‘King Kelly’, the Irishman stood out for his power, his resilience in difficult conditions and his remarkable burst of speed.
A professional from 1977 to 1994, he excelled in both the classics and stage races. Notably, he won Milan–San Remo twice, Paris–Roubaix twice, Liège–Bastogne–Liège twice and the Tour of Lombardy three times – a total of nine victories in the Monuments.
Kelly also won Paris–Nice seven times in a row, from 1982 to 1988, a record that illustrates his exceptional consistency. In the Tour de France, he won the points classification four times and five stages. His victory in the 1988 Vuelta a España was the only time in his career that he won the general classification of a Grand Tour.
This item is the yellow leader’s jersey from the Vuelta a España worn by Sean Kelly on the occasion of his overall victory in 1988.
At that time, the leader of the Vuelta’s general classification wore the ‘maillot amarillo’, the predecessor to the red jersey adopted several years later. The 43rd edition of the Vuelta a España took place from 25 April to 15 May 1988. It comprised a prologue and twenty stages, covering a total distance of approximately 3,425 kilometres. Facing off against the Spanish climbers Anselmo Fuerte, Laudelino Cubino and Álvaro Pino, as well as the German Raimund Dietzen, Kelly secured his victory through his consistency. He picked up time bonuses in the sprint finishes and minimised his time losses in the mountain stages.
This jersey brings together one of the greatest classics champions in history, the most prestigious victory in Irish cycling in a Grand Tour, and the former visual identity of the Tour of Spain. The period photograph showing Sean Kelly wearing an identical jersey reinforces the item’s authenticity and documentary value.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey preserves the memory of the 1988 Vuelta and pays tribute to Sean Kelly, the first Irishman to win the Vuelta a España and a versatile champion capable of triumphing in sprints, time trials, classics and stage races.
ITEM N° 157
KELLY Sean (IRL) (24.05.1956)
Green jersey as winner of the points classification at the 1989 Tour de France
Sean Kelly belongs to the very select group of riders capable of winning on almost any type of terrain. A powerful sprinter, a tenacious all-rounder and a remarkable classics specialist, the Irishman built up one of the most impressive palmarès of the 1980s.
A professional from 1977 to 1994, he won nine Monuments: three Giro di Lombardia, two Paris–Roubaix, two Liège–Bastogne–Liège and two Milan–San Remo. He also won seven consecutive editions of Paris–Nice, between 1982 and 1988, as well as the 1988 Vuelta a España.
At the Tour de France, Kelly won five stages and four points classifications in 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1989. His consistency, his ability to tackle mountain passes and his positioning sense enabled him to contest the sprints even after the most gruelling stages.
This jersey brings together one of Ireland’s greatest champions, the historic symbol of consistency in the Tour de France, and one of the most famous editions of the Grande Boucle.
Its design, conceived by Mario Schifano, gives it a special quality. It bears witness to a rare convergence of cycling, textile design and contemporary art. Its vibrant colour, bicycle motif and manufacture by Castelli also illustrate the renewal of the Tour’s visual identity in the late 1980s.
Sean Kelly’s signature and the photographs showing him wearing an identical jersey reinforce the item’s attribution. They allow it to be directly linked to his fourth and final victory in the Tour’s points classification.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey preserves the memory of the 1989 Tour de France and pays tribute to ‘King Kelly’, a champion of exceptional versatility, as formidable in the classics as he was in sprints and major stage races.
ITEM N° 160
KINT Marcel (B)
(20.09.1914 – 23.03.2002)
The jersey he wore on the track in 1938
Born on 20 September 1914 in Zwevegem, West Flanders, Marcel Kint was one of the great Belgian champions of the period leading up to and surrounding the Second World War. Nicknamed ‘De Zwarte Arend’ (the Black Eagle), he stood out for his power, stamina and formidable effectiveness in closely contested finishes involving small groups.
A professional from 1935 to 1951, Kint won six stages of the Tour de France and finished ninth in the general classification in 1936 and again in 1938. His list of victories also includes Paris–Brussels in 1938, Paris–Roubaix in 1943, Ghent–Wevelgem in 1949 and three consecutive editions of the Flèche Wallonne, from 1943 to 1945.
His greatest success came in 1938, when he became the professional road world champion in Valkenburg. He was also the Belgian road champion in 1939 and the world runner-up in 1946.
This track jersey was worn by Marcel Kint in 1939, following his victory at the 1938 professional road world championships.
This is not the traditional white rainbow jersey worn by Kint in road races. It is a kit designed for track events, with a red background adorned with blue, red, black, yellow and green trim, commemorating his world title. Following his world title, Kint did indeed take part in track events, a common practice amongst the great road cyclists of that era.
This jersey is of particular interest because it documents a lesser-known aspect of Marcel Kint’s career: his appearances on the track following his world road title.
Its knitted fabric, slim fit and lack of large advertisements also illustrate the kit used at track meetings on the eve of the Second World War. Its rarity lies as much in its age as in this distinctive adaptation of the world championship colours.
On display in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this jersey is a valuable artefact from the 1939 season. It links the memory of Marcel Kint’s world title to the popular world of velodromes, where great road champions also came to test their speed and meet their fans.
