The Axe Valley Pedallers have just returned from their latest visit to the Calshot velodrome in Hampshire. Hurtling round the 142-meter track at 50 kph, on a single speed fixed wheel (no freewheel) bicycle without brakes, is not for the faint hearted!  11 members of the club took part and for 7 of them it was their first experience at this type of cycling.

 

Harold “Harry” Jackson, who represented Great Britain in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics, ran the session for us. 

 

Harry was part of the men’s team pursuit for the 4000-meter event in the Olympics and also enjoyed a very successful international career. Madal asked him (with Nevis filming) “what was his best cycling moment?” Harry paused and then replied “Probably my best cycling moment was winning an International Omnium (multiple race with five disciplines) in Copenhagen in 1964. The second rider was Patrick Sercu and you always gauge how good a rider is by the people they beat”. To get that in context, Patrick Sercu was an outstanding performer, an Olympic gold medallist, two times World Champion and Tour de France Green Jersey holder, so that was a fantastic achievement by Harry and he was justifiably proud.

 

The velodrome event was organised by Glenn “Nevis” Morgan (Club Velo Captain) who managed the third fastest lap of the day, he was pipped to the post by Nick “Probe” Palmer in second, with Alistair “Madal” Cope just taking first place in a keenly fought contest. Nevis was delighted and went onto say “Yet another fantastic day out for AVP at the Calshot velodrome, this trip just gets better and better.  As ever the staff and in particular our coach Harry Jackson, were most welcoming.”

The group photo shows Coach Harry Jackson, centre front row.