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endless amusement for spectators and gainful employment for hospital
staff!

Classics!
George Pilkington-Graves’ Lands End to John O’Groats “Penny Farthing”
record of 5 days, one hour and 45 seconds, which still stands, got him an
invite to the first ever Bordeaux-Paris in 1891 which he won in 26hrs 30mins,
beating fellow Brit Montague Holbein by 1hr 15mins. (And you thought
Tommy Simpson was the first British Classic winner, and first to win
Bordeaux-Paris!!) Arthur Linton won again for Great Britain in 1896, before
dying 2 months later. (There is some suggestion that products supplied
by his (British) soigneur may have contributed to both his victory and his
subsequent demise…)
In 1895, Jimmy Michael won the World Paced 100kms event, building on
Jack Green’s silver medals in the same event and the Paced 10kms title
the previous year.

London Olympics 1908
5 gold medals from 7 cycling events:

     ∙ Benjamin Jones – gold in the 5,000 metres pursuit and team pursuit,
          (with Clarence Kingsbury, Leon Meredith, Ernest Payne), silver in the 20km.

     ∙ Clarence Kingsbury – gold in the 20km.

     ∙ Victor Johnson gold in the 660yds event – a one lap sprint around the
         White City track.

     ∙ Charles Bartlett – gold in the 100km, out sprinting Charles Denny.

Stockholm Olympics 1912
The first, and last, modern Olympics not to include track cycling events –
Sweden’s only velodrome was razed to the ground to make way for the
Olympic Stadium. The only event was a 196km TT.

    ∙ Fred Grubb - individual and team silver

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