One of the greatest Milan – San Remos ever: When Sean Kelly attacked on the Poggio descent

Arguably one of greatest Milan – San Remos ever was when Sean Kelly attacked on the Poggio descent in 1992. MSR takes place on March 16, and as always, it will most come down to the famous climb. However, it’s not always been about what happens on the way up; sometimes it’s all about what happens on the way down.

Down the Poggio

In 2022, Matej Mohorič etched his name in cycling history by clinching victory by utilizing a dropper post to outpace the world’s best riders on the Poggio descent. The Slovenian executed a series of attacks on the Poggio, skillfully breaking away from a small group during the descent while narrowly avoiding mishaps. Initially veering into the gutter, he expertly corrected himself with a precise hop. Subsequently, he came perilously close to colliding with the curb. His ride down was remarkably swift, distancing himself from none other than Tadej Pogačar, Wout van Aert, and Mathieu van der Poel, who are all superb descenders.

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One of the greatest Il Primavera victories of all time is Irishman Sean Kelly’s, the last big win of a storied career. In 1992, he made up eight-seconds on Italy’s Moreno Argentin, who escaped on the 3.7-km Poggio, by plummeting down the other side, carving the switchbacks to pull back the incredulous Argentin at the red kite. Kelly was the better sprinter and claimed his second crown.

Shocking Moreno Argentin

Afterwards Argentin claimed, “I didn’t see him until the last (moments), when we were almost 600 metres from the finish. With all the motorbikes behind, I couldn’t see him. I guess he was also aided by them.”

Kelly described how he made up 15 seconds on former world champion, Argentin, in his autobiography, Hunger.

A man posssessed?

“What was I thinking as I plummeted down the descent of the Poggio in pursuit of Argentin? Was I really a man possessed, as they said? Had I abandoned all thoughts for my safety? Did I care whether I ended up toppling over the low wall and shattering through the roof of one of the glasshouses below? None of this mattered. I was thinking of winning, nothing else. I was going to give everything to catch Argentin and win the race. If I finished the day lying on my face among the tomato plants and shards of glass, so be it,” he wrote.

Kelly added that over the years the story of the 1992 Milan-San Remo has developed a life of its own. “I’ve heard it said that my back wheel skidded around every corner and that I bounced off the walls on my way down, leaving scuff marks on the shoulders of my jersey. That wasn’t the case,” the Irishman said.  “Perhaps people feel the need to embellish the drama. For me, it was more than dramatic enough.”

Brancale bonus

By the way, if you watch earlier parts of the race, he’s not wearing a helmet, which was typical for many riders of the era, but especially Kelly. The Festina rider would often race in a cap or hairnet, with the few times he’d wear a lid was during a TT. So why was he wearing that Brancale helmet later in the race? Has nothing to do with safety, apparently there was a clause in his contract that would give him a bonus if he won a race with the Italian helmet. So he put it on mid-race, knowing he’d go for victory.

When Sean Kelly attacked on the Poggio descent at Milan – San Remo

In this Eurosport footage, the narration of Kelly’s daring descent is from Brit David Duffield. He was fond of phrases like “turn your granny to the wall” and “as useful as a chocolate chain ring.” Kelly is the man in blue riding like an absolute ace.

Check out this incredible ride below.