Who was your cycling hero?

[boatdrinks_2002]

The great Guido Bontempi...imposing enough on TV, but even more so in real life!

 

[Radar]

Interesting that David Millar's name always illicits the 'dirty drug cheat stance'; look at the other names in the list so far - Robert Millar, Pantani, Virenque. All dirty drug cheats too - all served drug bans or failed doping tests, why no spleen venting there?

Yes D Millar cheated, got caught, took his punishment and rides again (as the rules allow). His team Slipstream Chipotle is one of the new breed of teams which is really going for the drug free stance.

I remember when Millar was at Saunier Duval one of the mags interviewed Gibo and Ricco. Ricco was very scathing about Millar's drug free publicity. (He argued that everyone was doing the same, just not shouting about it). An interesting stance from the 'next big star'...

 

[one-eyed_jim]

George Fleming ,first bloke to break 2 hours for a fifty in, 1947 riding a small fixed gear

I had a quick Google for this, but I couldn't find the details - though he's mentioned elsewhere as the first Englishman to break the hour for a 25 (in 1939).

Do you know what gear he was riding, and where the record was set?

 

[TheGreenRabbit]

The Alphabet man - Jamalodeen Abdojaperoff (or however you spell it) and Pantini, and Lance Armstrong.

 

[one-eyed_jim]

The Alphabet man - Jamalodeen Abdojaperoff (or however you spell it)

Like this:

Djamolidine Abdoujaparov

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djamolidine_Abdoujaparov

But "Abdou" is a lot easier.

 

[Old Ned]

George Fleming ,first bloke to break 2 hours for a fifty in, 1947 riding a small fixed gear

I had a quick Google for this, but I couldn't find the details - though he's mentioned elsewhere as the first Englishman to break the hour for a 25 (in 1939).

Do you know what gear he was riding, and where the record was set?

If you want to know about old time triallists then have a trawl through this lot!

http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/ind ... =0&start=0

There's currently 186 pages though but a lot of it is chat. However, there are copies of magazine articles which mention people like George Fleming, the Higginson twins, Ray Booty (a REAL hero!) etc. plus the more modern(!) ones like Alf Engers, Eddie Atkins etc.

I'm sure there is one post which is about early record breakers like Fleming, written by the late great Bernard Thompson who could make even a club '10' report exciting!

 

[Cherrymatt]

Tim Gould off road because he was peaking at just the right time for me and used to win on those big American courses. Were Baker and Gould like Coe and Ovett?

Jake Elliott never seems to get a mention and I think he was junior world champ! Also had cool Fat Chance with 1st gen rockshox etc.

As I am in the road forum I better mention Charlie Mottet fanatastic. His bike was lovely as well, Mavic Groupset I seem to remember.

I also remember Alan Piper and Phil Anderson and thinking they were cool.

Last and perhaps my most vivid cycling memory is of Pedro Delgado dissppearing up an alp. Very inspiring stuff.

On the whole drug thing ignorance was bliss now I trust less people than Jack Bauer!

 

[jacks2ts]

Shea Elliott my great uncle.

 

[Old Ned]

Shea Elliott my great uncle.

He sold me a pair of shorts (Gitane) and a jersey (Helyett Leroux silk track one) in the Isle of Man 1965. I rode the shorts for years and passed the jersey to a friend who had (possibly still has) a collection of trade jerseys including several of Barry Hoban's.

I will never forget him talking on the microphone at the end of week 'do'. An Irishman speaking English with a French accent, marvellous!

PS - shouldn't it be spelled 'Shay' as in all the magazine articles?

 

[Jamiedyer]

Green rabbit

GreenRabbit, you should check out this months cyclesport, they have an interview (of sorts) with abdou.
He has been a mystery since he stopped riding with him being elusive etc, but just as elusive now someone found him!
Jamie