Skil-Sem was a French professional
cycling team
A cycling team is a group of cycle sport, cyclists who join a team or are acquired and train together to compete in bicycle racing, bicycle races whether amateur or professional – and the supporting personnel. Cycling teams are most important i ...
which competed during both the 1984 and 1985 seasons. It was the continuation of the
Sem-France Loire team. Skil-Sem was the team with which the team's leader,
Sean Kelly, dominated the sport in 1984. Another team member, the French rider
Éric Caritoux
Éric Caritoux (born 16 August 1960 in Carpentras, Vaucluse) is a French former professional road racing cyclist who raced between 1983 and 1994. He had 22 victories in his career, the highlights of which were winning the Vuelta a España in 1984 ...
, also won the
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour of Spain) is an annual multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the r ...
in 1984. The team was directed by
Jean de Gribaldy
Jean de Gribaldy (18 July 1922 – 2 January 1987) was a French road cyclist and directeur sportif. He rode in the Tour de France in 1947 and 1948.
Biography
Born in Besançon, Doubs ''département'', Gribaldi was a professional racing cyc ...
.
History
In 1984,
Skil, a manufacturer of small power tools, became main sponsor of the
Sem-France Loire team, directed by
Jean de Gribaldy
Jean de Gribaldy (18 July 1922 – 2 January 1987) was a French road cyclist and directeur sportif. He rode in the Tour de France in 1947 and 1948.
Biography
Born in Besançon, Doubs ''département'', Gribaldi was a professional racing cyc ...
. As a member of Sem-France Loire, Kelly had twice won
Paris–Nice
Paris–Nice is a professional cycling stage race in France, held annually since 1933. Raced over eight days, the race usually starts with a prologue in the Paris region and ends with a final stage either in Nice or on the Col d'Èze overlookin ...
and had won the
points classification in the Tour de France
The points classification () is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, which started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is con ...
two times. Kelly also won the
Giro di Lombardia
The Giro di Lombardia ( en, Tour of Lombardy), officially ''Il Lombardia'', is a cycling race in Lombardy, Italy. It is traditionally the last of the five 'Monuments' of the season, considered to be one of the most prestigious one-day events in cy ...
for the team in 1983.
During the 1984 season the team was called Skil-Sem-Mavic-Reydel and was directed by de Gribaldy and Christian Rumeau. Kelly dominated racing that spring and won 33 times in total. He won, amongst others,
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 the ...
,
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège, also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Monuments'' of the European professional r ...
,
Blois–Chaville, the
GP Ouest-France
The Bretagne Classic, also called Bretagne Classic Ouest–France, is an elite cycling classic held annually in late summer around the Breton village of Plouay in western France.
The race was originally named Grand–Prix de Plouay and, from 19 ...
and the
Grand Prix de Fourmies
The Grand Prix de Fourmies is a bicycle race held in the Fourmies commune of France. Since 2005 it has been organised as a 1.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions which we ...
. Also that Spring,
Éric Caritoux
Éric Caritoux (born 16 August 1960 in Carpentras, Vaucluse) is a French former professional road racing cyclist who raced between 1983 and 1994. He had 22 victories in his career, the highlights of which were winning the Vuelta a España in 1984 ...
won the
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour of Spain) is an annual multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the r ...
. Earlier in the season, he had won the stage to
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux (; oc, Ventor, label= Provençal ) is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the department of Drôme. At , it is the highest m ...
in
Paris–Nice
Paris–Nice is a professional cycling stage race in France, held annually since 1933. Raced over eight days, the race usually starts with a prologue in the Paris region and ends with a final stage either in Nice or on the Col d'Èze overlookin ...
(and Kelly won the overall) but the team did not enter the
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour of Spain) is an annual multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the r ...
with high ambitions. Caritoux won by six seconds.
The following year, several of the smaller co-sponsors changed and the team was called Skil-Reydel-Sem. During 1985, Kelly won
Paris–Nice
Paris–Nice is a professional cycling stage race in France, held annually since 1933. Raced over eight days, the race usually starts with a prologue in the Paris region and ends with a final stage either in Nice or on the Col d'Èze overlookin ...
, the
Giro di Lombardia
The Giro di Lombardia ( en, Tour of Lombardy), officially ''Il Lombardia'', is a cycling race in Lombardy, Italy. It is traditionally the last of the five 'Monuments' of the season, considered to be one of the most prestigious one-day events in cy ...
, finished fourth in 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 ...
and won the
points classification
The points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning sprints at certain places along the route, most often called ''intermediate sprints''. The points cl ...
.
Gerrie Knetemann
Gerard Friedrich "Gerrie" Knetemann (6 March 1951 in Amsterdam – 2 November 2004 in Bergen, North Holland) was a Dutch road bicycle racer who won the 1978 World Championship. He wore the Yellow Jersey early in each Tour de France for four ...
won the
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is an annual one-day classic road cycling race held in the province of Limburg, Netherlands. It traditionally marks the turning point of the spring classics, with the climbers and stage racers replacing the cobbled classics r ...
and Jean-Claude Leclercq became French road race champion.
At the end of 1985, de Gribaldy found a new sponsor to replace
Skil.
Kas, a Spanish maker of soft drinks which had sponsored a team in the 1970s became the main sponsor.
The bikes used by the team had a
Vitus
Vitus is a Latin given name meaning lively and may refer to:
*Saint Vitus (c. 290 – c. 303), a Christian martyr
*Vitus of Hungary (died 1297), beatified friar
*Vitus (bicycles), a French bicycle manufacturer
* ''Vitus'' (film), a 2006 Swiss film ...
979 aluminium or a Vitus carbon fibre frame, both labelled "de Gribaldy", with
Mavic components.
Notable riders
* Jean-Claude Bagot
*
René Bittinger
René Bittinger (born 9 October 1954, in Villé) is a French former professional road bicycle racer. He competed in the individual road race event at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Major results
;1979
:Ambert
:Tour de France:
::Winner stage 1
;198 ...
*
Éric Caritoux
Éric Caritoux (born 16 August 1960 in Carpentras, Vaucluse) is a French former professional road racing cyclist who raced between 1983 and 1994. He had 22 victories in his career, the highlights of which were winning the Vuelta a España in 1984 ...
*
Sean Kelly
*
Jean-Claude Leclercq
Jean-Claude Leclercq (; born 22 July 1962 in Abbeville) is a French former professional road bicycle racer.
Major results
;1984
: 7th Overall Tour du Limousin
::1st Stage 3
;1985
: 1st Road race, National Road Championships
;1986
: 2nd Road r ...
*
Gilles Mas
Gilles Mas (born 5 January 1961) is a French former professional racing cyclist. He rode in five editions of the Tour de France and two editions of the Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour of Spain) is an annual multi-stage bicy ...
*
Frédéric Vichot
Frédéric Vichot (born 1 May 1959 in Valay) is a French former professional road bicycle racer, who won one stage in the Vuelta a España and two stages in the Tour de France. He is the uncle of racing cyclist Arthur Vichot.
Major results
;197 ...
*
Gerrie Knetemann
Gerard Friedrich "Gerrie" Knetemann (6 March 1951 in Amsterdam – 2 November 2004 in Bergen, North Holland) was a Dutch road bicycle racer who won the 1978 World Championship. He wore the Yellow Jersey early in each Tour de France for four ...
*
Jörg Müller
Jörg Müller (, ; born 3 September 1969) is a Dutch-born German BMW factory driver.
Racing career
Born in Kerkrade, Netherlands, Müller won the titles in 1989 German Formula Opel Lotus Challenge and in 1989 European Formula Ford 1600.
The 199 ...
Major wins
*
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; en, Tour of Spain) is an annual multi-stage bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the r ...
General classification
The general classification (or the GC) in road bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for riders in multi-stage races. Each stage will have a stage winner, but the overall winner in the GC is the rider who has the fastest cumulati ...
1984 (Caritoux)
*
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 ...
Points classification
The points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning sprints at certain places along the route, most often called ''intermediate sprints''. The points cl ...
1985
* Road Race Championship 1985
*
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 the ...
1984
*
Liège–Bastogne–Liège
Liège–Bastogne–Liège, also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Monuments'' of the European professional r ...
1984
*
Giro di Lombardia
The Giro di Lombardia ( en, Tour of Lombardy), officially ''Il Lombardia'', is a cycling race in Lombardy, Italy. It is traditionally the last of the five 'Monuments' of the season, considered to be one of the most prestigious one-day events in cy ...
1985
*
Blois – Chaville 1984
*
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is an annual one-day classic road cycling race held in the province of Limburg, Netherlands. It traditionally marks the turning point of the spring classics, with the climbers and stage racers replacing the cobbled classics r ...
1985
*
Paris–Nice
Paris–Nice is a professional cycling stage race in France, held annually since 1933. Raced over eight days, the race usually starts with a prologue in the Paris region and ends with a final stage either in Nice or on the Col d'Èze overlookin ...
1984, 1985
*
Critérium International
The Critérium International was a two-day bicycle stage race held in France every spring from 1932 until 2016, typically the last weekend of March. It was formerly known as the Critérium National de la Route, first run in 1932. For many years ...
1984
*
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 b ...
1984
*
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 ...
1984
* Grand Prix de Plouay 1984
*
Paris–Bourges
Paris–Bourges is a French road bicycle race. The race originally started in Paris and ran to the town of Bourges in the Région Centre. However, in recent year with the length of races shortened it has become impossible to link the two cities a ...
1984
* Grand Prix d'Aix-en-Provence 1984
*
GP Ouest-France
The Bretagne Classic, also called Bretagne Classic Ouest–France, is an elite cycling classic held annually in late summer around the Breton village of Plouay in western France.
The race was originally named Grand–Prix de Plouay and, from 19 ...
1984, 1985
*
Tour of the Basque Country
The Tour of the Basque Country (Officially: ''Itzulia Basque Country'', es, Vuelta al PaÃs Vasco, links=no, eu, Euskal Herriko Itzulia) is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling stage race held in the Basque Country (autonomous community) ...
1984
*
Tour de Romandie
The Tour de Romandie is a stage race which is part of the UCI World Tour. It runs through the Romandie region, or French-speaking part of Switzerland. The competition began in 1947, to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Swiss Cycling. I ...
1985
*
Nissan Classic
The Tour of Ireland (Irish: Turas na hÉireann, known from 1985 to 1992 as the Nissan Classic) was a bicycle stage race held in August, which ran for 35 editions over a 56-year period. Irish rider Seán Kelly recorded the most wins, four.
Th ...
1985
*
Grand Prix de Fourmies
The Grand Prix de Fourmies is a bicycle race held in the Fourmies commune of France. Since 2005 it has been organised as a 1.HC event on the UCI Europe Tour
The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions which we ...
1985
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skil-Sem (cycling team)
Defunct cycling teams based in France
Cycling teams based in France
Cycling teams established in 1984
Cycling teams disestablished in 1986