Tuesday 17 December 2013

From the archive: Navan Road Time Trial, 1959

Here's another set of pictures from Dad's photo archive. I wasn't able to caption a lot of these so any help with identification of riders would be great.

The photos here were all taken at a 50 mile TT, held on the Navan Rd course, just outside Dublin, sometime in the summer of 1959. The course started and finished in Ashtown, beside the Phoenix Park Race Course and took riders out to the turn near Navan and back.

Clicking on a photo will open the set in a gallery.
Denis Whelan (Obelisk), Navan Rd TT, 1959

Rob Norton (Eagle CRC), Navan Rd TT, 1959

Terry Kernan (Co. Dublin RC) Navan Rd TT, 1959

John Lackey (Tailteann RC),
Navan Rd TT, 1959

Matt Scallon (Orwell Wheelers),  Navan Rd TT, 1959

Jim Kennedy (Eagle CRC), Navan Rd TT, 1959

JJ McCormack and Rory Harkins (both Eagle CRC)
watching the TT, Navan Rd, 1959

JJ McCormack (Eagle CRC) and Christy Kimmage (Dublin Wheelers),
Navan Rd TT, 1959

John Lackey (Tailteann RC) at Blanchardstown Bridge,
Navan Rd TT, 1959

Peter Crinnion (Bray Wheelers) makes the catch at
Blanchardstown Bridge, Navan Rd TT, 1959

Mick Manley (Dublin Wheelers), Navan Rd TT, 1959









Waiting for the riders. Brendan Hore (left) and Dick Allen (both Antlers CC).

Sunday 3 November 2013

Updated: From the archive: World Road Race Championships 1959

Here's another set of pictures from Dad's photo archive. This one contains photos taken at the World Championships in 1959.

The races were held that year on the Circuit Park Zandvoort motor racing circuit, located in the dunes of the North Sea coast of Holland. The circuit took in the racing circuit and then went out to do some extra kilometers around the town of Zandvoort itself.

Dad went to Holland as CRE delegate to the Worlds so wasn't staying with or involved directly with the team. He made his own way there with a friend and booked into a hostel in Amsterdam. They then took a trip out to the team hotel to say hello to manager Billy Stewart and the riders, JJ McCormack, Jim Maguire, Sammy Kerr and Ian Moore.

When they arrived at the hotel they found a battered and bruised team, sorting out damaged equipment, with no sign of Stewart. The story they were told really highlighted the difference between conservative Ireland and cosmopolitan Holland in the late 1950's.

While doing a leisurely recce of the course, the team, accompanied by Stewart on his track bike, was riding along the Zandvoort promenade. As they rode along they spotted something none had never experienced in Ireland - a pretty girl in a bikini!

Almost inevitably there was a distracted touch of wheels and down they went. The riders suffered no more than minor cuts and bruises but Stewart wasn't so lucky. He ended up with pretty severe facial injuries and was taken by ambulance to the Royal Marine Hospital in Haarlem where he needed surgery on his face.

Irish amateur team, Worlds, Zandvoort, 1959
L-to-R: JJ McCormack (Eagle CRC, Dublin), Sammy Kerr (Ballymena RC), Sean Fox (Eagle CRC - Manager),
Ian Moore (Zeus RC, London), Jim Maguire (Windsor CC, Belfast)
As the only other accredited Irish official at the event Dad ended up taking over management of the Irish team. While technically that meant he was overseeing all Irish riders, it's probably fair to say it really meant managing the team for the amateur race. Ireland's sole professional rider, Shay Elliott, had his own arrangements, including his own mechanic and soigneur

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
Shay Elliott (IRL) hydrates as his soigneur gets his bike ready.
I haven't been able to track down much detail about the amateur race, apart from that it was won by defending champion, Gustav-Adolf Schur or East Germany. There is no record of any finishers from the Irish team in the published results.

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
Shay Elliott (IRL) ready for the off.
World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
They're off.
However, Shay Elliott did finish the Professional race. He came home in the main bunch, crossing the line in 22nd place, 22 seconds behind a break of 8 riders. The sprint from the break had been won by Elliott's Helyett teammate, André Darrigade of France.
World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
Shay Elliott (IRL) leads a small break.
Graham Healy recounts a story in his book, Shay Elliott, of how Elliott almost lost his place in the Helyett team over allegations he had taken money before the race to ride for the Belgian, Rik Van Looy. In the end Van Looy finished 16 places behind Elliott in the bunch so it was pretty academic.

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
Shay Elliott (IRL) follows Tommy Simpson (GBR)
As before, we've tried to correctly identify the people in the photos but if you spot an error, or you can fill in a blank for us, please do leave a comment. Clicking on a photo will open the set in a gallery.

Amateur RR:

1st Gustav-Adolf Schur (GDR)
2nd Bastiaan Maliepaard (NED)
3rd Constant Goossens (BEL)

Professional RR:

1st André Darrigade (FRA)
2nd Michele Gismondi (ITA)
3rd Noel Fore (BEL)

Women RR:

1st Yvonne Reynders (BEL)
2nd Aina Pouronen (USSR)
3rd Vera Gorbatcheva (USSR)

For the full results, click here.

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
1st year pro, Tommy Simpson (GBR) made a name for himself by finishing 4th.

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
Shay Elliott (IRL)

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
Shay Elliott (IRL) tails defending champion Ercole Baldini (ITA)

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
Shay Elliott (IRL)

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
The Italian team make their way to the start,

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
The French team parade to the start line.


World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959

Tom Simpson (GBR) follows the eventual winner, Andre Darrigade (FRA),
World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959

Update: since publishing this post I found these photos online, all copyright to the Nationaal Archief Fotocollectie Anefo in the Netherlands. Again, I've tried to caption them but any extra details welcome!

The North Sea came right up to the circuit.

The amateur peloton races through Zandvoort, 1959

The amateur peloton races through Zandvoort, 1959

The amateur peloton races through Zandvoort, 1959

The amateur peloton races through Zandvoort, 1959

Gustav-Adolf Schur (GDR) outsprints Bastiaan Maliepaard (NED) to defend
his World Amateur RR title in a sprint finish, Zandvoort, 1959

Gustav-Adolf Schur (GDR) with his second successive World Amateur RR jersey,
Zandvoort, 1959

World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959

The break, including Tom Simpson (GBR),
World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959

The winning break, World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959
L-to-R: Fischerkeller (GER),  Ronchini (ITA), Simpson (GB), Gismondi (ITA),
Geldermans (NED), Darrigade (FRA), Fore (BEL), Niesten (NED)

A break, including Tom Simpson (GBR),
World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959

Andre Darrigade (FRA), Michele Gismondi (ITA) and Noel Fore (BEL)
on the podium after the World Pro RR, Zandvoort, 1959

Friday 27 September 2013

From the archive: World Road Race Championships 1958

I've been raiding my Dad's photo archive for previously unpublished shots that really shouldn't be hidden away in an attic. I've selected some that I feel help to preserve the history of the sport, especially in Ireland, but which I also feel the wider cycling world might like to see. Over the next while I'll be posting sets of photos so keep an eye out.

We've tried to correctly identify people and places but, if you spot an error or you can fill in a blank for us, please do leave a comment. Obviously, after more than 50 years, some of the shots may not be of HD quality but that doesn't take away from their historical value. Clicking on a photo will open the full set in a gallery.

This first set is from the World Championships in Reims, France in 1958.

Dad was one of four Irish spectators who journeyed to support the teams that year, a fact unusual enough to warrant mention in several newspaper articles. Accompanying with him from Dublin were his brother, Paddy, and his close friend, Brendan Tyrrell. John Flanagan, a club-mate of Christy Kimmage and Shay Elliott in Dublin Wheelers, got a weekend pass from his posting with the US Army in Germany to join them.

The Irish selectors had chosen a very young team for the amateur race. Manager Jim McQuaid, himself a 5 time participant at the Worlds, spoke to the Irish Press a few days before the race. "This will be their biggest test, but the international races here should give them a good idea of what they are up against", he said.

Irish Amateur RR Team relaxing before the World Championships, 1958, Reims.
L-to-R: Denis Whelan (Obelisk Wheelers), Peter Dowling (Antlers CC),
Bobby Talbot (East Tyrone CC),  Christy Kimmage (Dublin Wheelers CC)
Some of the team were profiled in the same article. They were:

Peter Dowling (23), Antlers CC, Dublin, who had ridden for Ireland twice before.He was selected as the reigning Irish Massed Start Champion. He had also won the Dun Laoghaire Grand Prix, the An Tostal 3 day race and was on the way to being the best all round rider in the country for 1958.

Christy Kimmage (20), Dublin Wheelers CC, has also already been selected for Ireland twice. In 1958 he had won the Dalkey Massed Start, the Dalkey Hill Climb, the 1st stage of the An Tostal and the Irish Road Clubs "50".

Denis Whelan (20), Obelisk Wheelers, Dublin, had ridden the Manx International on the Irish team. He'd broken John Lackeys record for the "Mountain Time Trial" and recorded the fastest time of the year for the Navan Rd 25 mile TT course as well taking second in the An Tostal and 3rd in the Dan Lennon Memorial race.

Irish Amateur Team, Worlds Reims 1958.
L-to-R: Christy Kimmage (Dublin Wheelers), John Flanagan (Dublin Wheelers - spectator),
Bobby Talbot (East Tyrone CC), Jim McQuaid (Emerald CC - Team Manager),
Denis Whelan (Obelisk Wheelers), Peter Dowling (Antlers CC)
The 4th rider (not profiled) was Bobby Talbot, who, along with his three brothers, raced with East Tyrone CC.

Irish team parading to the start of the World Amateur RR, Worlds Reims 1958.
L-to-R: Christy Kimmage (Dublin Wheelers), Denis Whelan (Obelisk Wheelers),
Bobby Talbot (East Tyrone CC), Peter Dowling (Antlers CC)
World Amateur RR, Reims 1958.
Start of the race, Christy Kimmage (IRL) on left.
World Amateur RR, Reims 1958. 
In the race a small group escaped from a larger nine strong break coming towards the finish. Those six riders fought out a thrilling sprint finish. It took the judges several minutes before Gustav-Adolf Schur (GDR) was declared the winner, from two Belgians, Valère Paulissen and Henri DeWolf.

Gustav-Adolf Schur (GDR) wins the World Amateur RR, Reims 1958
ahead of Valère Paulissen (BEL) and  Henri De Wolf (BEL)
It appears that the inexperience of the Irish riders showed and none were listed as finishers.


World Amateur RR, Reims, 1958.
Gustav-Adolf Schur (GDR) with his new Rainbow Jersey and bouquet.
The Women's title was won by Elsie Jacobs (LUX) who was followed home by Tamara Novikova (USSR)
and Mariya Lukshina (USSR).

World Championships, Reims, 1958
Fausto Coppi (ITA)
In the Professional race, 25 year old 2nd year pro Ercole Baldini (ITA), reigning Giro D'Italia, Italian and Olympic Champion, decided that the best strategy was to escape early and put the field under pressure.It worked!

The French team, including silver medallist Louison Bobet (second right) and bronze medallist André Darrigade (third left) parade to the start of the World Professional RR, Reims, 1958
Baldini escaped with 3 times Tour De France winner, Louison Bobet (FRA), Gastone Nencini (ITA) and Gerardus Voorting (NED) after just 12 miles of the 172 mile race. Eventually, first Voorting and then Nencini dropped away leaving the two champions to thrill the crowd with their head to head battle for the title. Meanwhile, with three laps to go, Ireland's Shay Elliott broke away from the bunch with his trade team colleague, Andé Darrigade (FRA). Unfortunately, Elliott suffered cramp and was forced to drop away from the leaders.
L-to-R: André Darrigade (FRA) and Shay Elliott (IRL)
trying to close the gap to the leaders.
World Professional RR, Reims, 1958

Louison Bobet (FRA) on the way to second place
in the World Professional RR, Riems 1958
In the end the result was:

1st Ercole Baldini (ITA) 7h 29m 32s
2nd Louison Bobet (FRA) @ 2m 08s
3rd André Darrigade (FRA) @ 3m 47s
22nd Shay Elliott (IRL) @ 7m 06s

To see the full results click here.