Paul Sherwen (7 June 1956 – 2 December 2018) was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
professional
racing cyclist
Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling s ...
and later a broadcaster on cycling, notably the
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
. He raced in seven editions of the Tour, finishing five, and gained a reputation for his ability to suffer over long mountain stages.
Early life and early career
Born on 7 June 1956 in
Widnes
Widnes ( ) is an industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2011 census had a population of 61,464.
Historically in Lancashire, it is on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form th ...
,
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
, Sherwen was brought up in Kenya, where his father ran a factory that produced fertiliser, paint and insecticides.
He started his sporting life as a swimmer, finishing second in the under-14
Kenya
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n swimming championship. Upon returning to Britain, he won the regional under-18 championship for
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port in the Borough of Halton in Cheshire, England. Its population in 2011 was 61,789. The town is in the southeast of the Liverpool City Region, with Liverpool to the northwest across the River Mersey. ...
and District. However, at 16, he turned to cycling and rode for the
Weaver Valley CC in Cheshire, receiving guidance from
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
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
Altrincham
Altrincham ( , locally ) is a market town in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, south of the River Mersey. It is southwest of Manchester city centre, southwest of Sale and east of Warrington. At the 2011 Census, it had a population ...
Road Club, he won the season-long Star Trophy series in 1976, winning the Manx International and the
Archer Pernod GP and two stages in the Tour of Malago.
A year later, he won Folkestone-London, attacking from the gun. For the French team
ACBB (Athletic Club Boulogne Billancourt) he won Paris-Barentin, Paris-Mauberge and the Tour de l'Essone, and was third in the amateur Paris–Roubaix and second in the British championship. He won the
Archer Grand Prix cycle race in 1976 and 1977. Despite spending only part of the year in France due to examinations, he came second in the season-long Palme d'Or competition. 1977 saw him ride the world championship in
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, the pro-am
Étoile des Espoirs
The Étoile des Espoirs was an end of the season French cycling stage race. It was created
by Jean Leulliot, and was open to young professional cyclists.
Winners
''Source''
References
External links
*
Cycle races in France
Defunct cyc ...
and the Scottish Milk Race. Upon leaving ACBB he was invited to nominate a rider as his successor at the club, becoming the first of a chain of English-speaking riders who graduated to the highest level of the sport via the club, including Irishman
Stephen Roche
Stephen Roche (; born 28 November 1959) is an Irish former professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming the second of only two cyclists to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de Fr ...
, fellow Britons Robert Millar (now known as
Philippa York) and
Sean Yates
Sean Yates (born 18 May 1960) is an English former professional cyclist and directeur sportif.
Career
Yates competed at the 1980 Summer Olympics, finishing sixth in the 4,000m individual pursuit. As an amateur in 1980, he won the British 25-mi ...
, and Australian
Phil Anderson.
He then turned professional in 1978 for Fiat under
Raphaël Géminiani
Raphaël Géminiani (born Clermont-Ferrand; born 12 June 1925) is a French former road bicycle racer. He had six podium finishes in the Grand Tours. He is one of four children of Italian immigrants who moved to Clermont-FerrandColin, Jacques ( ...
, and later rode as a
domestique
In road bicycle racing, a domestique is a rider who works for the benefit of their team and leader, rather than trying to win the race. In French, ''domestique'' translates as "servant".However, in French, the term used is ''équipier''. In I ...
in the La Redoute
cycling team.
He finished 70th in the
1978 Tour de France
The 1978 Tour de France was the 65th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place between 29 June and 23 July, with 22 stages covering a distance of .
The 1978 Tour had a high-profile doping case when Michel Pollent ...
. 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.
The reinstatement delayed abandonment, and he was to repeat the process six years later.
Sherwen was 19th and 11th in
Milan–San Remo in 1979 and 1980 respectively, and 15th in the 1984
Paris–Roubaix
Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the ' Monuments' or classics of th ...
. He finished third in the
Tour du Haut Var
The Tour du Haut Var ( en, Tour of the Haut Var) is an early-season two-day road bicycle race in the Var department region in the south of France. Until 2008 it was run as a one-day race, part of the UCI Europe Tour. In 2009, the race transformed ...
, won by
Sean Kelly, in 1982, following a stage win in the season-opening
Tour of the Mediterranean. He came second in the
Four Days of Dunkirk in 1983, winning a stage. He won the
Grand Prix de Denain
Grand Prix de Denain is a professional cycle road race held in Denain, France. For 10 years from 2005 the race was organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions whi ...
that same year.
In the Tour de France, Sherwen finished 111th in
1982 and 116th in
1984
Events
January
* January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888.
* January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...
. 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
The 1985 Tour de France was the 72nd edition of the Tour de France, one of Cycle sport, cycling's Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours. It took place between 28 June and 21 July 1985. The course ran over and consisted of a individual time trial, p ...
, Sherwen crashed in the first kilometre before the race had left
Épinal
Épinal (; german: Spinal) is a commune in northeastern France and the prefecture of the Vosges department.
Geography
The commune has a land area of . It is situated on the river Moselle, south of Nancy. Épinal station has rail connecti ...
. With
Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault (; born 14 November 1954) is a French former professional road cyclist. With 147 professional victories, including five times the Tour de France, he is often named among the greatest cyclists of all time. In his career, 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.
Sherwen joined
Raleigh
Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...
in 1986 alongside
Mark Bell,
Paul Watson
Paul Franklin Watson (born December 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American conservation and environmental activist, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an anti-poaching and direct action group focused on marine conservation activism. Th ...
,
Jon Clay and
Jeff Williams. He retired after two seasons winning the
British road race championship in 1987 his final season. He then managed the Banana-Raleigh team until Raleigh pulled out at the end of 1989. During this time, he worked as a co-commentator with
Phil Liggett
Philip Alexander Liggett (born 11 August 1943) is an English commentator and journalist who covers professional cycling.
He currently commentates on the Tour de France and bike races for ITV and NBC Sports, and was previously associated wi ...
for
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
's coverage of the Tour de France, with the pair making their debut together on the Tour in 1986.
After Banana-Raleigh, Sherwen worked as the Public Relations Director for the American
Motorola Cycling Team
The 7-Eleven Cycling Team, later the Motorola Cycling Team, was a professional cycling team founded in the U.S. in 1981 by Jim Ochowicz, a former U.S. Olympic cyclist. The team lasted 16 years, under the sponsorship of 7-Eleven through 1990 and th ...
.
He was also considered for the position of Performance Director at
British Cycling
British Cycling (formerly the British Cycling Federation) is the main national governing body for cycle sport in Great Britain. It administers most competitive cycling in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It represents Bri ...
in 1997, but lost out to
Peter Keen
Peter Alan Keen (born 16 November 1976) is an English professional football goalkeeper.
Keen was born in Middlesbrough and began his career as a trainee with Newcastle United, turning professional in August 1995.
He joined Carlisle United on ...
.
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
SBS Network and the United States'
NBC Sports with
Phil Liggett
Philip Alexander Liggett (born 11 August 1943) is an English commentator and journalist who covers professional cycling.
He currently commentates on the Tour de France and bike races for ITV and NBC Sports, and was previously associated wi ...
.
Personal life and death
Sherwen lived in
Kampala
Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
,
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The sou ...
and had interests in a gold mine in
Busitema.
He travelled regularly between Uganda and the United States. Sherwen and Liggett then commentated for NBC Sports only.
Sherwen died of
heart failure on 2 December 2018 at his home in Kampala at the age of 62.
He is survived by his wife Katherine and their two children Margaux and Alexander.
Career achievements
Major results
;1976
: 1st
Archer Grand Prix
: 1st
Premier Calendar
The British Cycling Premier Calendar Road Race Series is a season-long competition run by British Cycling. It comprises a series of road bicycle races for the country's top domestic road riders.
Organisation and events
In 2010 points were awar ...
;1977
: 1st
Archer Grand Prix
: 2nd
Road race, National Amateur Road Championships
: 2nd
Premier Calendar
The British Cycling Premier Calendar Road Race Series is a season-long competition run by British Cycling. It comprises a series of road bicycle races for the country's top domestic road riders.
Organisation and events
In 2010 points were awar ...
: 3rd GP de France
: 3rd
Paris–Roubaix Espoirs
Paris–Roubaix Espoirs is a one-day road cycling race held annually in France. In 2005 the race was integrated into the UCI Europe Tour as a category 1.2U race.
Held since 1967, it is the under-23 version of the Monument classic Paris–Roubaix ...
;1980
: 3rd Stage 2
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
;1981
: 1st Tour du Hainaut Occidentale
;1982
: 1st Stage 1
Tour Méditerranéen
Tour or Tours may refer to:
Travel
* Tourism, travel for pleasure
* Tour of duty, a period of time spent in military service
* Campus tour, a journey through a college or university's campus
* Guided tour, a journey through a location, directed ...
: 3rd
Tour du Haut Var
The Tour du Haut Var ( en, Tour of the Haut Var) is an early-season two-day road bicycle race in the Var department region in the south of France. Until 2008 it was run as a one-day race, part of the UCI Europe Tour. In 2009, the race transformed ...
;1983
: 1st
Grand Prix de Denain
Grand Prix de Denain is a professional cycle road race held in Denain, France. For 10 years from 2005 the race was organized as a 1.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions whi ...
: 2nd Overall
Four Days of Dunkirk
::1st Stage 3
;1984
: 3rd
Grand Prix de Wallonie
The Grand Prix de Wallonie is an annual road bicycle race held annually in Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, ...
;1986
: 1st
National Criterium Championships
;1987
: 1st
Road race, National Road Championships
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherwen, Paul
1956 births
2018 deaths
English male cyclists
British sports broadcasters
Sportspeople from Widnes
Cycling announcers
Cycling journalists
British cycling road race champions
Olympic Games broadcasters
Tour de France journalists