Brian Robinson

[Old Ned]

I was very sad to discover that my boyhood hero and 1950's Tour de France pioneer Brian Robinson passed away yesterday. He was 91. Brian was an inspiration to me as a young lad - as he probably was to many an aspiring 'racer' in my generation - and I avidly read his exploits in Sporting Cyclist magazine. When we moved to Wakefield I was aware that he lived quite locally and I wondered if I would ever see him around and about. I eventually did - at a mountain bike race near Catterick early '90's where he was encouiraging his daughter. More recently I got to know him better through mutual acquiantances and would see him at a local cafe on occasion. He always chatted to me with no sense of ego whatsoever. A real gentle man who signed his biography to me with the message - "To Paul, from your boyhood hero, Brian."

I couldn't have asked for more. RIP Brian, you will be missed.

 

[pigman]

Still riding up until a few weeks before his passing im told.
Top man, continental trailblazer for what now seems quite normal

 

[Old Ned]

Still riding up until a few weeks before his passing im told.
Top man, continental trailblazer for what now seems quite normal

I'm sorry to say Brian was really not well enough to be able to ride for some time. I last saw him on a bike about 3 years ago when him and a friend caught me and a mate up going to the cafe - and then sat on our wheels. It was only a mile to the cafe so probably not worth coming through - although he was on his e-bike.