Splendor - Miniature racing cyclists

Michel Pollentier and Sean Kelly

Splendor was a Belgian professional cycling team from 1975 to 1989.
It won the team classification of the Vuelta in 1980.

The team had a lot of co-sponsors over the years, and was also a co-sponsor itself.
An overview of the co-sponsors:
1975-1975 Splendor–Struvay
1976-1976 Zoppas–Splendor–Sinalco
1977-1977 Carpenter–Zeepcentrale–Splendor
1978-1978 Old Lord's–Splendor–K.S.B.
1979-1979 Splendor–Euro Soap
1980-1980 Splendor, Splendor-Admiral en Splendor–Admiral–TV-Ekspres
1981–1982 Splendor–Wickes Bouwmarkt–Europ Decor
1983_1983 Splendor–Euro Shop
1984-1984 Splendor–Jacky Aernoudt en Splendor–Mondial Moquettes–Marc
1985-1985 Hitachi–Splendor–Sunair
1986-1986 Hitachi–Marc–Splendor en Hitachi–Robland

The best known riders in the team were: Alain Desaever, Claude Criquielion, Dirk Demol, Etienne De Wilde, Géry Verlinden, Guido Van Calster, Herman Beyssens, Jean-Marie Wampers, Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande, Johan De Muynck, Lieven Malfait, Luc Meersman, Michel Pollentier, Patrick Versluys, Ronny Vanmarcke, Rudy Matthijs, Sean Kelly and Yvan Lamote.

Michel Pollentier
Michel Pollentier was cyclist from Belgium. He lived in the city of Diksmuide. He became a professional cyclist in 1973. His greatest victory was his final victory in the Giro d'Italia in 1977.

In the Tour de France of 1978 he won the stage in Alpe d'Huez with the Belgian champion jersey and took the yellow jersey. However, he was accused of doping. Under his armpit he had a pear with urine connected to a tube. Like this, his own urine would not be tested.
But Pollentier was caught. He lost his victory and was expelled from the Tour, which would later be won by Bernard Hinault.

This affair still haunts him. Even though he won in the eighties the Tour of Flanders and became 3rd in the Tour of Spain in 1979 and 2nd in 1982. In 1984 he rode his last season. After his cycling career, Pollentier started up a tyre centre. He also founded a cycling school. He was sportsman of the year in 1977.

His teams:
1973-1973 Flandria-Shimano
1974-1975 Flandria-Carpenter
1976-1978 Flandria-Velda
1979-1979 Splendor-Eurosoap
1980-1980 Splendor-Admiral
1981-1981 Vermeer-Thijs
1982-1982 Safir-Marc
1983-1984 Safir-Van de Ven

His greatest victories:
1976 general classification Tour of Belgium
1977 general classification Tour of Italy
1977 general classification Tour of Switzerland
1977 Champion of Belgium
1978 Champion of Belgium
1978 general classification Dauphine Libere
1980 Tour of Flanders
1980 Brabant Arrow

Sean Kelly
Sean Kelly was an Irish cyclist, one of the best cyclists of the 80's and one of the best classic cyclists of all time. He started his pro career in 1977 en stopped with professional cycling in 1994. In his career Kelly won nine monuments and 193 professional races.

He was he winner in the stage race to the sun Paris-Nice. He won this race several times in a row. In 1989, he was the winner of the 1st UCI Road World Cup. He won the Vuelta in 1988 and won several stages in the Tour of Lombardy, Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Other victories are the Grand Prix of Nations, the Tour of Switzerland and the Tour of the Basque Country.

Kelly won two bronze medals (1982 and 1989) at the World Championships and became fifth in 1987. Kelly was placed first when the world ranking was introduced in 1984. He would hold this position for 5 years. In 1984, Kelly won 33 races.

His teams:
1977-1978 Flandria-Velda-Latina Assicurazioni
1979-1981 Splendor-Euro Soap
1982-1983 Sem-France Loire-Campagnolo
1984-1985 Skil-Reydel-Sem-Mavic
1986-1988 Cash
1989-1991 PDM-Concorde
1992-1993 Lotus-Festina
1994-1994 Catavana

His most important victories:
1980 Points classification Tour of Spain
1980 general classification Three days De Panne
1982 Points classification Tour of France
1982 Sprint classification Tour of France
1983 general classification Tour of Switzerland
1983 Paris-Nice general classification
1983 Points classification Tour of France
1983 Points classification Tour of France
1983 Tour of Lombardy
1984 general classification Round of the Basque Country
1984 Paris-Nice general classification
1984 Paris-Roubaix
1984 Liège-Bastogne-Liège
1984 Paris-Tours
1985 Points classification Tour of Spain
1985 Paris-Nice general classification
1985 Points classification Tour of France
1985 Tour of Lombardy
1986 general classification Round of the Basque Country
1986 Paris-Nice general classification
1986 Milan-San Remo
1986 Paris-Roubaix
1986 Points classification Tour of Spain
1986 GP of Nations
1987 general classification Round of the Basque Country
1987 Paris-Nice general classification
1987 Critérium International general classification
1988 Paris-Nice general classification
1988 general classification Catalan Week
1988 Gent-Wevelgem
1988 Points classification Tour of Spain
1988 general classification Tour of Spain
1989 World Cup general classification
1989 Team classification Tour of France
1990 general classification Tour of Switzerland
1991 Tour of Lombardy
1992 Milan-San Remo

Discover our other miniature cyclists as well.