During his career, Sean Kelly won 9 monuments – Paris-Roubaix, Milan-San Remo and Liege-Bastogne-Liege twice each and the Tour of Lombardy three times. However, he could very well have added others to that total, having come close to victory in the Tour of Flanders a number of times. It was the 1986 Tour of Lombardy though that was probably the other monument which he should have won.
168 starters lined up in Milan for the 262 kilometres to Milan. Kelly was favourite to win the race, having won it the previous season. He had also taken victory in Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix earlier that year and had emerged as the best one-day cyclist in the world.
The race started fast and the peloton decreased in size with each hill they climbed until there was a select group of just six riders left. Kelly and his KAS team-mate Acacio da Silva were there, along with Gianbattista Baronchelli and Flavio Giupponi of Del Tongo, Panasonic’s Phil Anderson and Leo Schönberger of the Dromedario team.
Unfortunately for Kelly, he was knocked off his bike by race director Vincenzo Torriani. Kelly got back to the lead group, but wasn’t feeling great. He still felt he could win though.
However, the Del Tongo team were desperate to win their home race. The race organisers were also anxious to see an Italian winner as it had been four years since the last Italian, Giuseppe Saronni, had won.
Some discussions went on then between the Del Tongo team and KAS directeur sportif, Jean de Gribaldy and a fee was agreed. If one of the Del Tongo team attacked, then neither Kelly nor Da Silva would chase.
Baronchelli went clear shortly afterwards unchallenged. Neither Anderson nor Schönberger chased and the Italian soloed to victory in Milan. Kelly won the sprint for second. The Italian team paid up a week later for the win, and it was the last big win for Baronchelli.
1. Giambattista Baronchelli (Del Tongo-Colnago)
2. Sean Kelly (KAS)
3. Phil Anderson (Panasonic)
4. Leo Schönberger (Dromedario-Laminox-Fibok)
6. Flavio Giupponi (Del Tongo-Colnago)
7. Jörg Müller (KAS)
8. Alfred Achermann (KAS)
9. Luciano Rabottini (Vini Ricordi-Pinarello-Sidermec)
10. Niki Rüttimann (La Vie Claire)
