Kimmage always struggled with injury and he retired with no wins, blaming systemic doping in the peloton. Kimmage was planning on ending his professional cycling career at the end of the 1989 Nissan Classic which ended each year on O'Connell Street in Dublin but after Roche had to withdraw from the 1989 Tour de France, Kimmage withdrew and subsequently gave up as a professional. He supported Roche in the 1989 Giro d'Italia which was won by Laurent Fignon with Roche finishing ninth. Kimmage left RMO at the end of 1988 and rode for half a season for the Fagor–MBK team of Stephen Roche and Eddy Schepers with directeur sportif Patrick Valcke. Several weeks later during the 1987 Nissan Classic in which Kimmage finished eighth, Kelly thanked Roche, Earley and Kimmage for closing the gap to a break and ensuring his yellow jersey. He was in the Irish team with Stephen Roche, Sean Kelly and Martin Earley that prepared together and competed at the UCI Road World Championships in 1987 that ended with a win by Stephen Roche. His career includes ninth on stage 7 of the 1986 Tour de France before completing the Tour in 131st place (his only finish in three participations of the Tour). 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. In 1986 Kimmage joined the RMO team under Bernard Thévenet. He also finished ninth in a professional race, the Bordeaux–Paris, behind Belgian René Martens, in 1985. He was sixth in the 1985 amateur world road championship. 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 also represented his country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, in the team time trials, where the team placed 16th of 26. Kimmage replicated his reputation as a successful amateur in Ireland, for the French ACBB team and the Belgian CC Wasquehal amateur team. His brothers also enjoyed the spotlight: Raphael finished second in the 1984 Rás Tailteann, while Kevin won the race in 1991. Kimmage had a prominent career as an amateur, notably his 6th place at the amateur world road race championship. At schoolboy level (under 16) he and his brothers rode with the Orwell Wheelers, at the same time as Stephen Roche.Ĭycling career Amateur career His father, Christy, cycled with the Dublin Wheelers, and his brothers Raphael and Kevin were also active. He wrote for The Sunday Times newspaper and others, and published a number of books. Paul Kimmage (born in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish sports journalist and former amateur and professional road bicycle racer, who was road race champion of Ireland in 1981, and competed in the 1984 Olympic Games.
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