It takes two to tangle: Sean Kelly vs Marc Madiot (IV/VI)

April 4 ^th 2023 - 17:29

Sean Kelly vs Marc Madiot (IV/VI)

The legends of sport are forged in the fire of long-running rivalries between two champions. Paris–Roubaix, a prime target for the cobble-gobblers, often sets the stage for no-holds-barred contests between acrobats on wheels. A mechanical at the wrong time, poor positioning or a moment of hesitation when the decisive move comes can seal the outcome of the race. The site paris-roubaix.fr looks back on the history of these epic duels ahead of the latest showdown between the best of enemies, Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, in their hunt for a maiden win in the Queen of Classics.

Back in the 1980s, Sean Kelly gave the lie to the old adage "jack of all trades, master of none", racking up classics, one-week stage races and Grand Tour stage wins, but in the Hell of the North he came up against Marc Madiot, who had the cobblestones of northern France down to a science. The Frenchman was in his element in Paris–Roubaix, where he knew how to turn the terrain to his advantage.

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