Archive for September, 2013

Sixty years on.

September 29, 2013 at 5:00 pm · Filed under Cycling, My thoughts on recent races and events, Old result sheets, The history of cycle racing, The Worlds

Coppi Worlds 53Somebody asked me if Dave Bedwell finished the 1953 Worlds so I turned up this result sheet. What struck me apart from the good men in the top ten was the distance and time. Compare with today’s race at Florence, 272km in 7hr 25min.  As the Lugano result is loaded with Gen. Class. men I must assume it was a tough course. Are you as surprised as me that today’s super heroes can’t go any faster than those old plodders on their 22lb bikes and wearing baggy wool jerseys.

World Championship 1953

30th August 1953
Location: Lugano Distance: 270km


1. Fausto Coppi (ITA) 7h30:59
2. Germain Derijcke (BEL) +6:22
3. Stan Ockers (BEL) +7:33
4. Michele Gismondi (ITA) +7:34
5. Nino Defilippis (ITA) +9:11
6. Charly Gaul (LUX) +9:12
7. Ferdi Kübler (SUI) +12:57
8. Louison Bobet (FRA)
9. Raphaël Géminiani (FRA)
10. Marcel Ernzer (LUX)
11. Martin van Geneugden (BEL) at

12. Pasquale Fornara (ITA)
13. Wout Wagtmans (NED) same

time
14. Ludwig Hörmann (GER) +14:38
15. Antonin Rolland (FRA) same time
16. Thijs Roks (NED) +14:44
17. André Darrigade (FRA) +19:39
18. Brik Schotte (BEL) same time
19. Andres Trobat (ESP) same time
20. Gerrit Voorting (NED) +19:47
21. Valentin Petry (GER) +27:13
22. Francisco Massip (ESP)
23. Bernardo Ruiz (ESP)
24. Jesus Loroño (ESP) at same time
25. Adolphe Deledda (FRA)
26. Vincenzo Rossello (ITA)
27. David Bedwell (GBR) +28:55
– 70 starters finishers 27

Leave a Comment

Strudwick Cycles, Oxford Street, Brighton

September 28, 2013 at 6:45 am · Filed under Cycling

A friend sent me this photo copy of Strudwicks 1950 price list, presumably because I lived at Brighton for ten years. In fact I was just round the corner from the shop. Note the justification for a large frame, saving in weight -eh?, Greater rigidity and more lively. I don’t think so Mr Strudwick. Large frames, the norm in the fifties and sixties, was a fashion and a daft one at that.

Image

Image

Image

Image

ImageImage

Image

Image

Comments (6)

Bill Bradley leads a Merseyside massacre

September 25, 2013 at 6:22 pm · Filed under Cycling, Old result sheets, The history of cycle racing

Here we have the results for the Merseyside Four day in April 1958 that I today obtained from Johnny Brackstone who led a West London R.C. assault. I bet they wished they hadn’t bothered. The surprise for me is Dave Russell who I only knew from Bootle track in the sixties.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Leave a Comment

Older Posts »