▁go ▁after ▁him , ▁could ▁I ?" ▁ ▁His ▁best ▁result ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁Tour ▁de ▁France . ▁He ▁won ▁by ▁ 3 3 ▁seconds , ▁enough ▁to ▁give ▁him ▁the ▁yellow ▁j er sey ▁of ▁leadership . ▁He ▁held ▁it ▁for ▁three ▁days . ▁Another ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁passed ▁before ▁another ▁Irish man , ▁Se an ▁Kelly , ▁led ▁the ▁Tour . ▁ ▁This ▁achiev ement ▁also ▁made ▁him ▁the ▁first ▁English - spe aker ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁three ▁great ▁European ▁t ours , ▁of ▁Italy , ▁Spain ▁and ▁France . ▁ ▁Elli ott ▁spent ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁dom est ique , ▁a ▁r ider ▁who ▁sacrific es ▁his ▁ch ances ▁for ▁his ▁leader , ▁but ▁with ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁s print ▁for ▁wins . ▁He ▁made ▁a ▁career ▁from ▁appearance ▁contract s ▁and ▁start ▁money , ▁r iding ▁criter iums ▁in ▁Belg ium ▁– ▁the ▁races ▁that ▁Le ul li ot ▁said ▁would ▁burn ▁him ▁out ▁– ▁and ▁races ▁in ▁Britain , ▁including ▁a ▁meeting ▁at ▁the ▁vel od rome ▁at ▁Her ne ▁Hill ▁in ▁London ▁where ▁the ▁star ▁att raction ▁was ▁the ▁Italian , ▁Fa usto ▁Co ppi . ▁▁ ▁Elli ott ▁also ▁rode ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁professional ▁race ▁on ▁the ▁Is le ▁of ▁Man , ▁the ▁Man x ▁Premier . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers ies ▁Elli ott ▁was ▁contract ed ▁to ▁ride ▁London - H oly head ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁at ▁ 2 7 5 ▁miles ▁the ▁longest