Cycling: Kelly's indecision not final

IRELAND may be poised to salute the end of a great sporting era but they should be warned not to hold their collective breath, writes Robin Nicholl from Oslo. At the age of 37 Sean Kelly seems intent on wringing another season out of a professional career spanning 18 years.

He is in Oslo for his 17th World Championship, a race that has produced two hard-won bronze medals. If his indecision about retirement had carried over into his racing all those years, Kelly would have been an also ran instead of a highly respected and successful racer.

'I will have to decide by October so that I can speak to teams who are interested in me,' he said. 'If I continue it will be for one more year and with a smaller programme of racing. No more big tours.'

The other half of the sporting act, Stephen Roche, was world champion in 1987 plus winning the Tours of France and Italy. He is adamant about his future. 'I have packed my suitcase for the last time,' the Dubliner said. The 34-year-old wanted to quit at the end of the Tour de France in July but he was persuaded to hang on to help out his Carrera team.

His tips for the championship are Maurizio Fondriest, the Italian leader on the World Cup series, and the Dane Jesper Skibby.