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By Barry Boyce,
CyclingRevealed Historian
Sean Kelly
VaE April 25 - May 15, 1988 |
3,424.8 Km |
Starters:180 |
Finishers: 116 |
Average Speed: 38.506 km/h x
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“King” Kelly's Great Finish
The 43rd edition of the Vuelta a Espana marked the 10th anniversary of Unipublic as the organizer of the race.
Irishman Sean Kelly could sprint with the sprinters and time trial with the routiers, but through his career he had to learn how to get up the mountains with the climbers. The parcours of the 1988 Vuelta offered Kelly a chance to thrive.

1988 Vuelta a Espana Race Route Details |
Teams:
- Alba-Cucine-Benotto
- BH
- Café de Colombia
- Caja Rural-Orbea
- Carrera Jeans-Vagabond
- CLAS
- Fagor-MBK-Bose
- Helios-Colchón CR
- KAS-Canal 10-Mavic
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- Kelme
- Postobon-Manzana-Ryalcao
- Pony Malta-Bavaria-Avianca
- Reynolds-Pinarello
- Seur
- Sicasal-Torreense
- Sigma-Dormilion-Fina
- Teka-Mavi-Alanc
- Zahor
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Race Summary:
Stage 2: Superior climber Laudelino Cubino rode brilliantly on second stage in Sta Cruz de Tenerife and took early control of the race.
Stage 8: The first major mountains came on the 176.7 km from Leon to Branillin. Alvaro Pino wasted little time serving up the first attack and kept the peloton strung out for almost the entire stage. Kelly had to expend valuable energy but managed to close the time gap to Pino’s lead group. He lost only +59” on the stage.
Stage 13: The stage was from Jaca to the summit of the Estacion de Cerler. Race leader Laudelino Cubino began to show weakness on the climb. He lost 2’13” to stage winner Fabio Parra (Col) and 1’55” to Kelly. Cubino remained in the race lead with Team BH’s Anselmo Fuente second (GC +3”) and Kelly third (GC +33”) were poised to attack the race leader with six stages until the crucial 30 km Individual Time Trial.

Elite group climbing into Andorra
Stage 16: On the stage from Valencia to Albacete, Fuerte wrestled the Maillot Amarillo jersey off the shoulders of struggling teammate Laudelino Cubino. The showdown with Kelly was set for the Stage 20 time trial.
Stage 20: THE showdown, race leader Fuerte held a 28” lead on Kelly at the start of the 30 km individual time trial. The Irishman rode flawlessly and gained 1’57” on Fuerte. Kelly put on the Maillot Amarillo for the first time with one stage to the finish in Madrid.
Stage 21: Sean “King” Kelly crossed the finish line in Madrid to achieve the 1988 Vuelta a Espana victory and erase the doubts about his ability to win a Grand Tour!
SPECIAL NOTE: Kelly also won the Points Classification.
Stage and Distance |
Stage Winner |
Race Leader |
Stage 1 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 17.4 km [Series] |
Ettore Pastorelli (Ita) |
Modesto Urrutibeazcoa (Spa) |
Stage 2 S.Cristobal Laguna-S Cruz de Ten, 210 km |
Inaki Gaston (Spa) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 3 Las Palmas, 34 km TTT |
BH |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 4 Alcala del Rio-Badajoz, 210 km |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 5 Badajoz-Bejar, 234 km |
Francisco Navarro (Spa) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 6 Bejar-Valladolid, 202 km |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 7 Valladolid-Leon, 160 km |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 8 Leon-Branillin, 176.7 km |
Alvaro Pino (Spa) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 9 Oviedo-Alto Naranco, 6.8 km ITT |
Alvaro Pino (Spa) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 10 Oviedo-Santander, 197.3 km |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 11 Santander-Alto Valdezcaray, 217.2 km |
Sean Kelly (Ire) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 12 Logrono-Jaca, 197.5 km |
Sean Yates (GBr) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 13 Jaca-Estacion de Cerler, 178.2 km |
Fabio Parra (Col) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 14 Benasque-Andorra, 190.3 km |
Inaki Gaston (Spa) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stg 15 Seo de Urgel-S Quirze del Valles, 166 km |
Johnny Weltz (Den) |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
Stage 16 Valencia-Albacete, 192.1 km |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
Stage 17 Albacete-Toledo, 244.4 km |
Malcolm Elliott (GBr) |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
Stage 18 Toledo-Avilla, 212.5 km |
Juan Martinez-Oliver (Spa) |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
Stage 19 Avila-DYC, 150 km |
Angel Ocana (Spa) |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
Stage 20 Las Rozas-Villalba, 30 km ITT |
Sean Kelly (Ire) |
Sean Kelly (Ire) |
Stage 21 Villalba-Madrid, 202 km |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
Sean Kelly (Ire)
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BEST CLIMBER PRIZE |
Alvaro Pino (Spa)
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POINTS COMPETITION |
Sean Kelly (Ire)
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General Classification:
Final General Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Time |
1 |
Sean KELLY (Ire) |
KAS-Canal 10-Mavic |
89h 19' 23" |
2 |
Raimund Dietzen (Ger) |
Teka |
+1'24" |
3 |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
BH |
+1'29" |
4 |
Laudelino Cubino (Spa) |
BH |
+2'17" |
5 |
Fabio Parra (Col) |
Kelme |
+2'25" |
6 |
Robert Millar (GBr) |
Fagor-MBK |
+3'22" |
7 |
Jesus Blanco-Villar (Spa) |
Teka-Mavi-Alanc |
+8'19" |
8 |
Alvaro Pino (Spa) |
BH |
+8'25" |
9 |
Eddy Schepers (Bel) |
Fagor-MBK |
+9'45" |
10 |
Roberto Cordoba (Spa) |
BH |
+10'28" |
11 |
Eric Caritoux (Fra) |
+12'37" |
64 |
Fabio Bordonali (Ita) |
+1h28'56" |
12 |
William Palacio (Col) |
+13'30" |
65 |
Pedro Diaz Zabala (Spa) |
+1h29'32" |
13 |
Federico Echave (Spa) |
+13'44" |
66 |
Marc Gomez (Fra) |
+1h29'37" |
14 |
Joaquin Mujika (Spa) |
+14'56" |
67 |
Eduardo Chozas (Spa) |
+1h30'14" |
15 |
Franco Votolo (Ita) |
+18'21" |
68 |
Vicente Belda (Spa) |
+1h30'53" |
16 |
Martin Ramirez (Col) |
+18'36" |
69 |
Paulo-Jorge Silva (Por) |
+1h33'17" |
17 |
Jose-Luis Laguia (Spa) |
+18'40" |
70 |
Manuel Murga (Spa) |
+1h34'20" |
18 |
Mariano Sanchez (Spa) |
+19'35" |
71 |
Sean Yates (GBr) |
+1h34'40" |
19 |
Martin Earley (Ire) |
+25'27" |
72 |
Juan-Martin Zapatero (Spa) |
+1h36'14" |
20 |
Luis Herrera (Col) |
+26'42" |
73 |
Alfonso Gutierrez (Spa) |
+1h36'15" |
21 |
Carlos-Mario Jaramillo (Col) |
+27'15" |
74 |
Jose-Fernando Pacheco (Spa) |
+1h36'59" |
22 |
Luc Suykerbuyk (Ned) |
+35'45" |
75 |
Juan Martinez-Oliver (Spa) |
+1h37'35" |
23 |
Pello Ruiz-Cabestany (Spa) |
+36'11" |
76 |
Malcolm Elliott (GBr) |
+1h38'06" |
24 |
Vicente Ridaura (Spa) |
+37'05" |
77 |
Marco Bergamo (Ita) |
+1h44'27" |
25 |
Juan-Tomas Martinez (Spa) |
+39'18" |
78 |
Jose-Rafael Garcia (Spa) |
+1h44'34" |
26 |
Claudio Chiappucci (Ita) |
+42'14" |
79 |
Javier Duch (Spa) |
+1h45'46" |
27 |
Carlos Hernandez (Spa) |
+43'07" |
80 |
Jesus Ignacio Alonso (Spa) |
+1h45'56" |
28 |
Bernard Richard (Fra) |
+43'13" |
81 |
Francisco Antequera (Spa) |
+1h47'11" |
29 |
Jean-Claude Bagot (Fra) |
+44'28" |
82 |
Mario Chiesa (Ita) |
+1h50'24" |
30 |
Manuel Cunha (Por) |
+44'54" |
83 |
Juan-Maria Eguiarte (Spa) |
+1h54'43" |
31 |
Carlos Muniz (Spa) |
+45'44" |
84 |
Antonio Araujo (Por) |
+1h55'06" |
32 |
Mauro Santaromita (Spa) |
+46'09" |
85 |
Ruben Gorospe (Spa) |
+1h55'20" |
33 |
Angel Ocana (Spa) |
+47'22" |
86 |
Jaime Villamajo (Spa) |
+1h55'31" |
34 |
Paul Haghedooren (Bel) |
+49'37" |
87 |
Victor-Hugo Olarte (Col) |
+1h55'52" |
35 |
Inaki Gaston (Spa) |
+52'24" |
88 |
Miguel-Angel Iglesias (Spa) |
+1h56'08" |
36 |
Rodolfo Massi (Ita) |
+53'07" |
89 |
Antonio Coll (Spa) |
+1h56'41" |
37 |
Javier Castellar (Spa) |
+53'25" |
90 |
Roberto Torres (Spa) |
+1h59'00" |
38 |
Acacio Da Silva (Por) |
+54'51" |
91 |
Roland Leclerc (Fra) |
+1h59'30" |
39 |
Julian Gorospe (Spa) |
+56'53" |
92 |
Manuel Neves (Por) |
+2h00'35" |
40 |
Jose Recio (Spa) |
+56'56" |
93 |
Alexandre Rua (Por) |
+2h02'18" |
41 |
Alirio Chizabas (Col) |
+1h00'02" |
94 |
Luis-Fernando Mosquera (Col) |
+2h06'53" |
42 |
Nestor Mora (Col) |
+1h00'26" |
95 |
Wilfried Peters (Bel) |
+2h07'08" |
43 |
Jorgen Pedersen (Den) |
+1h01'29" |
96 |
Marco Franceschini (Ita) |
+2h09'53" |
44 |
Antonio Agudelo (Spa) |
+1h03'04" |
97 |
Jose-Enrique Carrera (Spa) |
+2h10'33" |
45 |
Roque de la Cruz (Spa) |
+1h03'27" |
98 |
Paulo Pinto (Por) |
+2h11'16" |
46 |
Peter Hilse (Ger) |
+1h03'44" |
99 |
Fernando Quevedo (Spa) |
+2h11'54" |
47 |
Jon Unzaga (Spa) |
+1h09'48" |
100 |
Deno Davie (GBr) |
+2h12'07" |
48 |
Santiago Portillo (Spa) |
+1h10'31" |
101 |
Jose-Antonio Casajus (Spa) |
+2h17'37" |
49 |
Casimiro Moreda (Spa) |
+1h14'01" |
102 |
Rene Beuker (Ned) |
+2h21'13" |
50 |
Guido Van Calster (Bel) |
+1h14'46" |
103 |
Modesto Urrutibeazkoa (Spa) |
+2h22'16" |
51 |
Manuel Carrera (Spa) |
+1h15'10" |
104 |
Jesus Montoya (Spa) |
+2h25'13" |
52 |
Jesus Rodriguez (Spa) |
+1h16'03" |
105 |
John Carlsen (Den) |
+2h31'38" |
53 |
Johnny Weltz (Den) |
+1h17'21" |
106 |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
+2h31'52" |
54 |
Benny Van Brabant (Bel) |
+1h18'31" |
107 |
Juan-Martin Robleda (Spa) |
+2h33'35" |
55 |
Alvaro Lozano (Spa) |
+1h19'02" |
108 |
Andre Meuwissen (Bel) |
+2h35'15" |
56 |
Manuel-Jorg Dominguez (Spa) |
+1h21'09" |
109 |
Antonio Provencio (Spa) |
+2h35'21" |
57 |
Julio-Cesar Cadena (Col) |
+1h22'25" |
110 |
Pablo Moreno (Spa) |
+2h37'58" |
58 |
Jose-Julian Balaguer (Spa) |
+1h23'36" |
111 |
Erwin Nijboer (Ned) |
+2h38'32" |
59 |
Jose Roncancio (Col) |
+1h23'58" |
112 |
Willem Wijnant (Bel) |
+2h48'01" |
60 |
Javier Lukin (Spa) |
+1h24'48" |
113 |
Roger Ilegems (Bel) |
+2h52'23" |
61 |
Rafael Tolosa (Col) |
+1h25'49" |
114 |
Francisco Navarro Fuster (Spa) |
+2h54'25" |
62 |
Antonio Pinto (Por) |
+1h26'20" |
115 |
Eddy Vanhaerens (Bel) |
+2h55'06" |
63 |
Claudio Savini (Ita) |
+1h27'11" |
116 |
Jean Jacques Philip (Fra) |
+3h05'08" |
Final Mountains Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Alvaro PINO (Spa) |
BH |
100 |
2 |
Anselmo Fuerte (Spa) |
BH |
62 |
3 |
Sean Kelly (Ire) |
KAS-Canal 10-Mavic |
60 |
4 |
Fabio Parra (Col) |
Kelme |
54 |
5 |
Juan-Tomas Martinez (Spa) |
Zahor |
53 |
Final Points Classification |
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Points |
1 |
Sean KELLY (Ire) |
KAS-Canal 10-Mavic |
248 |
2 |
Mathieu Hermans (Ned) |
Caja Rural-Orbea |
166 |
3 |
Benny Van Brabant (Bel) |
Zahor |
138 |
4 |
Alvaro Pino (Spa) |
BH |
111 |
5 |
Raimund Dietzen (Ger) |
Teka-Mavi-Alanc |
108 |
VaE 1987
VaE 1989
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