Paul Sherwen
ACBB | |
| Professional teams | |
|---|---|
| 1978–1979 | Fiat - La France |
| 1980–1983 | La Redoute - Motobecane |
| 1984 | La Redoute |
| 1985 | La Redoute - Cycles MBK |
| 1986 | Raleigh - Banana |
| Major wins | |
| National Circuit Race Championship (1986) National Road Race Championship (1987) | |
Paul Sherwen (7 June 1956 – 2 December 2018) was an
Early life and early career
Born on 7 June 1956 in Widnes, Lancashire, England, Sherwen was brought up in Kenya, where his father ran a factory that produced fertiliser, paint and insecticides.[3][4][1] He started his sporting life as a swimmer, finishing second in the under-14 Kenyan swimming championship. Upon returning to Britain, he won the regional under-18 championship for Runcorn and District. However, at 16, he turned to cycling and rode for the Weaver Valley CC in Cheshire, receiving guidance from Manchester coach Harold Nelson, and trained regularly with other local riders destined for professional careers, notably Graham Jones, John Herety and Ian Binder.
Cycling career
At 19, riding for
A year later, he won Folkestone-London, attacking from the gun. For the French team
He finished 70th in the 1978 Tour de France. In 1980, he came close to being eliminated on the third stage of the Tour. He finished outside the cut-off time (a percentage of the winner’s time), but was reinstated in view of his solo chase after a crash.[5] The reinstatement delayed abandonment, and he was to repeat the process six days later.
Sherwen was 19th and 11th in
In the Tour de France, Sherwen finished 111th in 1982 and 116th in 1984. During the last mountain stage of 1984, he diced with the cut-off time. He and Australian cyclist Allan Peiper were riding towards the summit at La Plagne when Peiper was knocked from his bike by a Dutch enthusiast. Sherwen – aware of the cut-off – told Peiper to get back on his bike and they crossed the line just inside the limit.
1985 tour
On the first day in the mountains of the 1985 Tour de France, Sherwen crashed in the first kilometre before the race had left Épinal. With Bernard Hinault setting a fast pace, Sherwen had little chance to regain the other riders. He rode solo for six hours over six mountains, accompanied by a motorcycle outrider, and was over an hour behind the stage winner, and 23 minutes outside the cut-off – the Tour publicity caravan had started its return journey and had to move to one side to allow Sherwen to complete the stage. However, again, his courage and endurance were rewarded by reinstatement – he was able to continue and went on to finish this Tour which would be his last.[2]
Sherwen joined
Later career
Up until the conclusion of the 2018 Tour de France, Sherwen provided the commentary broadcast internationally for many television networks including Australia's
.Personal life and death
Sherwen lived in Kampala, Uganda and had interests in a gold mine in Busitema.[1] He travelled regularly between Uganda and the United States.[12]
Sherwen died of heart failure on 2 December 2018 at his home in Kampala at the age of 62.[13][14][15] He is survived by his wife Katherine and their two children Margaux and Alexander.[1]
Career achievements
Major results
- 1976
- 1st Archer Grand Prix
- 1st Premier Calendar
- 1977
- 1st Archer Grand Prix
- 2nd Road race, National Amateur Road Championships
- 2nd Premier Calendar
- 3rd GP de France
- 3rd Paris–Roubaix Espoirs
- 1980
- 3rd Stage 2 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 1981
- 1st Tour du Hainaut Occidentale
- 1982
- 1st Stage 1 Tour Méditerranéen
- 3rd Tour du Haut Var
- 1983
- 1st Grand Prix de Denain
- 2nd Overall Four Days of Dunkirk
- 1st Stage 3
- 1984
- 3rd Grand Prix de Wallonie
- 1986
- 1st
National Criterium Championships - 1987
- 1st Road race, National Road Championships
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
| Grand Tour | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro d'Italia
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
 Tour de France
|
70 | 81 | DNF | DNF | 111 | — | 116 | 141 |
 Vuelta a España
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| — | Did not compete |
|---|---|
| DNF | Did not finish |
References
- ^ theguardian.com. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- ^ a b Pender, Kieran (3 December 2018). "A cult figure, Paul Sherwen brought cycling to the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
- ^ "Paul Sherwen Profile". cyclebase.nl. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "Paul Sherwen Profile". cyclingwebsite.net. Archived from the original on 1 August 2008.
- ^ a b Abt, Samuel (3 December 2018). "Commentary: Remembering Paul Sherwen". VeloNews.com. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
- ^ "Paul Sherwen, cycling broadcaster and former rider, dies aged 62". The Guardian. 2 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
- ^ Abt, Samuel (20 July 1995). "Race Ignored, Procession Honors Rider". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- ^ Richardson, Simon (14 August 2008). "From paupers to kings: The lottery-funded revolution". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ Tomalaris, Michael (15 June 2017). "It's a new era for SBS and the Tour de France". SBS Cycling Central. Special Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "SBS makes changes to Tour de France coverage". News.com.au. News Corp Australia. Australian Associated Press. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ Lindsay, John (24 June 2004). "Outdoor Life Network looks for big Tour de France splash". ocala.com. Ocala Star Banner. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
- ^ "The Big Interview: Paul Sherwen". Cycling Weekly. 15 April 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "Iconic voice of cycling Paul Sherwen dies at 62 years old". Canadian Cycling Magazine. 2 December 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
- ^ MacMichael, Simon (2 December 2018). "Paul Sherwen has died, aged 62". Road.CC. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ^ Ballinger, Alex (3 December 2018). "Tributes from Phil Liggett, David Millar and more as cycling broadcaster Paul Sherwen dies at 62". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
External links
- Paul Sherwen on Twitter
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |