Page 11 - DLNdec2014-989
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a result sheet so, albeit a little late in the day, Peter sent a photocopy.
Tony remembered the event being 'challenging' however the result sheet
showed exactly why.
Day 1 was 96 miles,
followed by 98 on the 2 day
nd
98 on the 3 day
rd
78 on 4 day
th
th
72 on the 5 day All good training for future races
The event headquarters was based in South Cerney airfield which is between
Cirencester and Swindon and all the circuits were centred in the area.
The hardest day was the 2 when the finish line was drawn at the top of
nd
Birdlip Hill. Other members of Tony's team were Mick Ayliffe (Clarencourt
CC) and Rocco Richardson (Willesden CC). Rocco remained a close friend
often joining us on the Majorca training camps each April. He was later
to become extensively involved with the Audax organisation, finishing up as
their President at the time of his unexpected death.
Peter also forwarded the result of the RAF 50 Mile Championship held on
rd
3 June 1959, just two days after the RAF 5 day road race. Tony
th
finished 11 from a full field of 120 riders with 2.7.2. Tony caught Micky
Ayliffe for 3 minutes but Micky had the audacity to jump him for 2 seconds
in the sprint finish - in true time trialling style. Only one rider went faster
than Tony who had also ridden the 5 day road race, he did 2.6.42. The
overall winning time was 2.1.49.
Later in the year he rode the RAF hillclimb championship which took place
on the feared Sutton Bank, in North Yorkshire often used for the National
hill climb in recent times. A typically road mans hill, long, hard with variable
inclines. Tony was the only rider not to climb the hill before the event
choosing to warm up around the flat area – it clearly paid off as he was
fastest on the day winning the championship and leading the team home.
1960 emerged as another round of eating, training, racing sleeping with
11
Tony remembered the event being 'challenging' however the result sheet
showed exactly why.
Day 1 was 96 miles,
followed by 98 on the 2 day
nd
98 on the 3 day
rd
78 on 4 day
th
th
72 on the 5 day All good training for future races
The event headquarters was based in South Cerney airfield which is between
Cirencester and Swindon and all the circuits were centred in the area.
The hardest day was the 2 when the finish line was drawn at the top of
nd
Birdlip Hill. Other members of Tony's team were Mick Ayliffe (Clarencourt
CC) and Rocco Richardson (Willesden CC). Rocco remained a close friend
often joining us on the Majorca training camps each April. He was later
to become extensively involved with the Audax organisation, finishing up as
their President at the time of his unexpected death.
Peter also forwarded the result of the RAF 50 Mile Championship held on
rd
3 June 1959, just two days after the RAF 5 day road race. Tony
th
finished 11 from a full field of 120 riders with 2.7.2. Tony caught Micky
Ayliffe for 3 minutes but Micky had the audacity to jump him for 2 seconds
in the sprint finish - in true time trialling style. Only one rider went faster
than Tony who had also ridden the 5 day road race, he did 2.6.42. The
overall winning time was 2.1.49.
Later in the year he rode the RAF hillclimb championship which took place
on the feared Sutton Bank, in North Yorkshire often used for the National
hill climb in recent times. A typically road mans hill, long, hard with variable
inclines. Tony was the only rider not to climb the hill before the event
choosing to warm up around the flat area – it clearly paid off as he was
fastest on the day winning the championship and leading the team home.
1960 emerged as another round of eating, training, racing sleeping with
11
