Paul Kimmage

Paul Kimmage (born 7 May 1962 in Dublin, Ireland) is an award-winning sports journalist who writes for the Sunday Times newspaper in the United Kingdom and is a former professional road bicycle racer.

Kimmage was born into a cycling family. His father, Christy, cycled with the Dublin Wheelers and was road race champion of Ireland in 1962 and his brothers Raphael and Kevin were also successful.

Career

Amateur career

Paul Kimmage had a prominent career as an amateur, notably his 6th place at the amateur world road race championship. His brothers also enjoyed the spotlight: Raphael finished second in the 1984 Ras Tailteann while Kevin won the race in 1991.

Kimmage replicated his reputation as a successful amateur in Ireland, for the French ACBB team and the Belgian CC Wasquehal amateur team. He also represented his country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. Notable performances as an amateur included 5 July 1981 where he became the national road race champion ahead of the old but still competitive Paddy Flanagan. He was sixth in the 1985 amateur world road championship. He also finished ninth in a professional race, Bordeaux–Paris behind Belgian René Martens in 1985.

Professional career

In 1986 Kimmage joined the RMO team under Bernard Thévenet. During his time in the peloton he wrote pieces in Irish newspapers interested in the sport because of the success of countrymen Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly.

His...
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