What fantastic footage – Thank You !! 1953, the year of my birth (as well as other greats such as Tony Blair and Michael Portillo) !! Did anyone else notice the few glimpses of the dapper start/finish announcer – Jimmy Saville !!! I really enjoyed, especially, the scenes crossing into Scotland at the top of Carter Bar. Crowds as big as The Kelloggs and PruTour in more recent times. Until recently one of my own favourite rides was an evening "cross-border raid" from here in Hawick, up to the border and back down again. Believe me, it is usually a lot more quiet than this. Many Thanks for a great piece of much-needed (in these nasty Covid times) nostalgia.
Thank you, and how refreshing to see cyclists not wearing lycra with aerodynmic helmets and hoards of cars and support vehicles behind. No clip-ins, but the tell-tale straps of the rat-traps. No electronic shifting – just good proper racing.
I started cycling with the local club in 1960. Luckily the roads were still quiet back then. Living on the Welsh Borders we had some of the most beautiful countryside to explore. I started racing in 1962, and remember wearing some of those enormous race numbers. Very aerodynamic.
16 Comments
thanks for sharing this beautiful archive.
Love the 1950s cheesy background music.
Hey let's schedule a 1600 mile road race without any road closures. Oncoming traffic will make it more exciting!
What fantastic footage – Thank You !!
1953, the year of my birth (as well as other greats such as Tony Blair and Michael Portillo) !!
Did anyone else notice the few glimpses of the dapper start/finish announcer – Jimmy Saville !!!
I really enjoyed, especially, the scenes crossing into Scotland at the top of Carter Bar.
Crowds as big as The Kelloggs and PruTour in more recent times.
Until recently one of my own favourite rides was an evening "cross-border raid" from here in Hawick, up to the border and back down again.
Believe me, it is usually a lot more quiet than this.
Many Thanks for a great piece of much-needed (in these nasty Covid times) nostalgia.
I was born in 1955…..I grew up on Schwinn & Raleigh bicycles…..
Thank you, and how refreshing to see cyclists not wearing lycra with aerodynmic helmets and hoards of cars and support vehicles behind. No clip-ins, but the tell-tale straps of the rat-traps. No electronic shifting – just good proper racing.
jimmy savile at 1,56 commentating
Wow Doug Petty 3rd over the top at Holme Moss. Doug got me into cycling as a boy I still ride today. He gave his life to the sport.
Just wonderful!
Back when cars hardly ever ran you over
Prestando atenção nas bicicletas dessa época, parecem com a caloi 10 aqui do Brasil.
I started cycling with the local club in 1960. Luckily the roads were still quiet back then. Living on the Welsh Borders we had some of the most beautiful countryside to explore. I started racing in 1962, and remember wearing some of those enormous race numbers. Very aerodynamic.
Had the pleasure of buying Brian Robinson a coffee as he ate my cake!! Nice man.
Turing through the beauty that is Britain!
What a truly lovely video. How did we go from that beauty and innocence to present-day ugliness?
Jimmy Savile the commentator at the start!!!