This Summer saw Yorkshire play host to the Grand Depart, an event that
one of our own staff was watching with more interest than most.
John Lancaster belongs to Ravensthorpe Cycling Club, which happens to
be the same club that Brian Robinson is affiliated with. Brian was the first
British cyclist to win a stage of the Tour-de-France in 1958 and repeated the
feat in 1959.
John is a keen cyclist and has been cycling now for more than 45 years.
Commuting regularly through the week to and from work, then at the weekends
competing in time-trials. Travelling to compete in events from Teesside to
Staffordshire.
The time-trial is known as the “race of truth”. This is a discipline
Sir Bradley Wiggins excels at, alone against the watch.
John mainly participates at distances of 10 and 25miles, still
regularly breaking the hour for 25 miles, even though he has reached the age of
61.
In his younger day’s John competed at quite a high level in local time
trials, competing in events from 10, 25 , 50, 100 miles and even 12 hour
events.
This involves cycling as many miles as you can in 12 hours.
John also organizes time –trials, plus marshals at events, as a way of
putting something back into the sport.
