King of the Hill Kelly tips Irish to star in Tour

SEAN KELLY left Cork yesterday on his Tour of Munster stage across the Vee, on to Cashel and to Limerick but he will be back next Wednesday to see how the young guns of world and Irish cycling handle the notorious St Patrick’s Hill climb when the Tour of Ireland hits it at the end of its first stage from Kilkenny.

The race will revive many memories for Kelly, who once dominated the race when it was a feature of the world cycling calendar.

“Patrick’s Hill is going to be something special for both spectators and cyclists alike,” the former world No. 1 predicted. “It holds many great memories for me but back then it was an awesome challenge for us Irish riders.