Track Cycle Racing: The rise and fall of a 20th century spectator sport
Author Geoff Waters (2011)‘Cycling
is in the entertainment industry. No, better put – it has
always
been entertainment for its own sake. That’s how it started
…’
(Les Woodland, Procycling. June
2001:90)
In
the late forties and early fifties Reg Harris’s world
championships had made news in Britain and brought thousands to the
cycle tracks. He featured frequently as a sporting hero in the pages of
the Boy’s Own Paper and the Eagle.’
(Roderick Watson & Martin Gray, The Penguin Book of the Bicycle. 1978:146)
(Roderick Watson & Martin Gray, The Penguin Book of the Bicycle. 1978:146)
Currently, in the early 21st century, road races like the multi–stage Tour de France and Giro d’Italia annually attract millions of roadside spectators and the routes of European single day classics like the Paris–Roubaix and Tour of Flanders are lined by thousands of fans. This is quite apart from their huge global television audiences. In contrast, modern track racing even at the Olympics and World Championships draws meagre crowds and receives little television time or public attention. For much of the 20th century, however, from the pre–World War I belle époque era onwards large crowds regularly attended track racing meetings and events in North America, Britain and Europe as well as in some other parts of the world. In addition, top track cyclists of the day enjoyed celebrity status (1).
But nowadays many of the iconic 20th century cycling tracks and their associated events have disappeared and the track racing stars that once graced them are all but forgotten. Who now recalls Fallowfield stadium in Manchester in the north of England or the Velodrome d’Hiver in Paris (2) or the six–day races at New York’s Madison Square Garden? Of those tracks that survive, Herne Hill in London is seemingly under frequent threat while Milan’s Vigorelli velodrome exists only as a venue for rock concerts and American ‘gridiron’ football matches.
Tandem racing at Herne Hill in the thirties - Jack Sibbitt and Dennis Horne leading
(The stand seen in the bakground is now boarded up and declared unsafe)
Why did the track cycle racing scene first boom and then bust during the 20th century? Various theories have been suggested, particularly about the ‘bust’ – the rapid decline of public interest in track racing in the late 1900s. These usually attribute it to various society–wide changes mostly related to increasing national affluence: the advent of television and of more sophisticated forms of mass entertainment, increased motorcar ownership and, in consequence, the bicycle itself progressively losing cultural relevance.
The difficulty with such theories is that, in terms of them, public interest in road racing should also have declined drastically. However, if anything it has increased. This suggests that the answer lies much closer to home and specifically in internal changes which occurred in track racing over the course of the 20th century. Certainly several marked changes were evident during that period:
One was in the nature of the leading track venues themselves;
Another was in the dominant types of track events;
A third was the demise of popular localised track cycling ‘sub–cultures’;
A fourth was the increasing anonymity of track cyclists themselves.
These did not all occur simultaneously nor were they all necessarily rapid. Rather, some changes occurred at one time, others at another; some happened at a stroke, others developed incrementally in piecemeal fashion.
But what was the precise nature of these changes, how exactly did they take place and how did these affect the spectator appeal of track racing?
Changes in the nature of cycling tracks
For much of the first half of the 20th century two distinct types of tracks both enjoyed iconic status. The one type was the outdoor arena characterised by a substantial length per lap (usually 400 yards/400 metres plus), shallow bankings (10–20 degrees maximum) and typically with a cement surface. The other type was an indoor track, relatively short (120–150 metres per lap) with steep bankings (40–50 degrees) and a wooden or ‘board’ surface. In marked contrast, starting in the late 20th century and persisting through to the present, those considered state–of–the–art tracks consist exclusively of velodromes situated indoors, relatively short (200–250 metres per lap), 40 to 50 degree bankings and wood (‘board’) surfaced.
Wooden construction of indoor 6-day track with steep banking
Typically, the outdoor tracks of the past, particularly in the northern hemisphere, were exclusively ‘summer’ racing venues while the indoor tracks of that era were essentially ‘winter tracks’. The latter type was epitomised by Paris’ ‘Velodrome d’Hiver’ (established and run in the early 1900s by the ‘father’ of the Tour de France, Henri Desgrange, and subsequently by his successor, Marcel Goddet). The highlight of these indoor winter tracks which proliferated across north–western Europe (in Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Germany in particular) as well as in North America were six–day races. In their heyday these were contested by two–man teams who engaged in a ‘race to nowhere’. Some of these indoor tracks were permanent fixtures but others, like that in New York’s Madison Square Garden (from which the term ‘madison’ is derived) and also the pre–World War II Wembley track in London, were temporary and erected only for the annual ‘sixes’.
Munich 6-day track during 'warm-up' with restaurant and bar seating in centre.
Note carausel bar. Riders cabins are inside far bend.
However, it would be a mistake to assume that today’s indoor velodromes are simply cloned versions of the winter tracks of the early decades of the 20th century. The latter together with the six–day races indelibly associated with them were essentially primarily entertainment centres offering spectators an escape from the harsh outdoor winters of northern climes. The track centres were open to spectators with the riders being confined to cramped trackside cabins.
Trackside cabins - each home for two riders, managers and masseurs during 6 days of race
These inner track zones accommodated live bands, bars, restaurants and occasionally even dance floors. Smoking was freely permitted and commonplace with many patrons puffing on cigars and pipes, creating a thick, fuggy atmosphere. Contrast this with their modern counterparts where the track centres are off limits to the public. Nowadays these are reserved exclusively for the riders and their entourages to relax, warm up on rollers, effect mechanical repairs and changes and prepare for competition. Spectators are confined to raked seating on the track’s perimeter and all who enter the velodrome are totally prohibited from smoking. Moreover, the nouvelle velodromes are in use throughout the year for both training and racing.
While it may be an exaggeration to associate the atmosphere prevailing at the early indoor winter track events with the louche lifestyles of Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘jazz age’ and the Berlin of Christopher Isherwood’s Cabaret, it is worth noting that the Nazi regime banned the staging of all six day races early on in the 1930s presumably because of their reputation as a haunt of the demi–monde. In contrast, modern indoor tracks exude an atmosphere somewhere between those of a cathedral and a gym.
But if the indoor winter velodromes of the past were essentially entertainment venues, the outdoor summer tracks of the period were places dedicated to serious cycling competition. It was on these that the great national and international track cycling championships as well as the prestigious pre–World War II sprint ‘grand prix’ of particular cities like Paris were staged (3). The outdoor Herne Hill track in London, built originally in 1892, was one such venue. The annual UCI world track championships were traditionally staged every August on majestic outdoor tracks scattered across Europe. These included Paris’ 660 metres per lap Parc des Princes with a crowd capacity of 27 000, the Oerlikon track in Zurich and Copenhagen’s Ordrup stadium. Similarly, the Olympic Games resulted in the construction of impressive large outdoor cycling stadiums in the host cities.
However, the great leap forward in track design came with the building of Milan’s Vigorelli velodrome in 1935 under the auspicies of Ezio Vigorelli, a key political figure in Mussolini’s Italy. Its novelty lay in its synthesis of key elements of both existing track types: a fast ‘board’ surface, intermediate metricated length (400 metres), steeply–sloped bankings (45 degrees) and enveloping covered stands (capacity 30 000) affording shelter to both riders on the track itself and spectators. Not surprisingly, this stylish futuristic velodrome complex rapidly became a favourite venue for world hour record attempts and no fewer than ten new hour records were set there between 1935 and1967. By 1962 the Vigorelli had been the venue for the UCI world track championships on four separate occasions (including in 1939 on the eve of World War II when Reg Harris and the British team left precipitously for fear of being trapped by war being declared). With some 150 world records for distances from 200 metres upwards being set there over the years, the Vigorelli’s reputation as the world’s fastest track remained unchallenged until the late 1960s (4).
Thereafter, however, the Vigorelli legend suffered as the world hour record along with many other track cycling records (most notably for pursuits and time trials) were repeatedly bettered by a succession of riders on newer velodromes elsewhere. Many of these had been constructed specifically for subsequent Olympic Games. The newer tracks were shorter (250–333 metres per lap) and, while during the 1970s and 1980s they remained outdoor venues, from the 1990s onwards indoor wooden ‘board’ tracks became de rigueur for the Olympics, world track championships and record attempts. When the British rider Chris Boardman set an all–time ‘aerodynamic’ hour record of 56.375 Kilometres in 1996 he did so on Manchester’s 250 metres per lap indoor wooden board track.
By the last decade of the 20th century therefore, both the surviving decaying indoor tracks and the ageing outdoor velodromes could no longer regularly attract the top quality riders and competitions which had drawn in large numbers of spectators in the past. But the declining general public interest in track racing in the late 20th century cannot be solely attributed to the modern revolution in track design, dramatic as this was.
Changes in the nature of track events
‘Racing
events on the track can be divided into two categories: championship
events and mass–start events. Championship
events…test the
athlete rather than entertain the spectator. Mass–start
events
are…more exciting for the spectator: Many riders are on the
track at once.’
(Simes, 1976:120)
Throughout the 20th century there was continuous tinkering with the
track events designated as ‘championships’ at
national and
international levels by the various administrative bodies responsible
for deciding on these. In some cases events were discontinued; in
others, new events were added.(Simes, 1976:120)
Table 1. Olympic track cycling
events (1908–2008)
| London 1908 | Los Angeles 1932 | Helsinki 1952 | Bejing 2008 |
| Men Sprint Team pursuit Tandem 660 yards 5000 metres 20 km |
Men Sprint Team Pursuit Tandem 1000m time trial (Individual) |
Men Sprint Team Pursuit Tandem 1000m time trial (Individual) |
Men Sprint Team Pursuit Team Sprint Individual pursuit Keirin Madison Points Women Sprint Team Sprint Individual pursuit Team Points |
Source:
http:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics
(accessed 21/01/2011)
Table 2. Changes in South African (SACF) National Track Championship events over the 20th Century*
*Source: Jowett, W. (1982). Centenary: 100 years of organised cycling
in South Africa. SACF
NOTES
Table 1 shows how
what Simes terms
‘mass–start’ events disappeared from the
Olympic
track schedule early on in the 20th century with only
‘athletic
tests’ evident during the middle decades. One hundred years
later
in 2008 a smattering of ‘mass–start’
events had
reappeared in the form of the 40 Km. Points race, the
Japanese–inspired Keirin and the 50 Km.Madison (originating
from
six–day races) for men and the 25 Km. Points race for women.
Only
the Sprint and Team pursuit events survived throughout. The individual
pursuit was added in 1964. However, the Tandem event became a casualty
in the late 20th century, being dropped after Munich in 1972. This
coincided precisely with the move to shorter and steeper tracks which
are inherently unsuited to tandems. Track titles for women were a late
20th century innovation, being first instituted at Seoul in 1988. Plans
for the 2012 London Olympics are to introduce further changes by
increasing gender parity in the number of events but simultaneously
reducing the number of medals awarded by introducing a composite
‘Omnium’ title.
A similar pattern was evident in the UCI’s decisions on world championship title events held annually over the course of the 20th century: These were progressively pared down to Simes’ ‘athletic tests’ with the amateur/professional distinction ultimately falling away and the progressive introduction of more title events for women in the later decades. The tandem event also disappeared along with the motor–paced (‘demi–fond’) events with the 1000cc pacing machines being unsuited to the new short indoor tracks.
Clearly during the course of the 20th century potential spectators continued to receive mixed messages from cycling’s decision–making bodies about the entertainment value of track racing particularly at national and international levels. On the one hand, the events and race meetings were widely advertised to attract an audience; on the other, with the nature of the events being such that their results were determined largely by the times set by individuals (or in some cases teams) riding alone, the events created little in the way of immediate on–track entertainment or excitement. As Watson and Gray (1978:236) observe, ‘…the “championship” events…are closer to the world of pure track athletics’. In short, these held little interest for the general public and attracted only insiders and devotees.
But it was not only the nature of the predominant track competitions along with the cycling tracks on which they were staged which morphed over the course of the 20th century. Popular localised track cycling ‘sub–cultures’ also eroded, often disappearing entirely.
The globalisation of track cycling
In his autobiography, Reg Harris mentions three early formative influences on his racing career: racing on grass tracks, local sports days and track handicaps. All three were popular in pre–World War II Britain and were often combined in the gala days of villages and towns. Harris even mentions the existence of a breed of ‘handicap riders’ who specialised in riding these events. Rumour is that many who rode the grass track circuit did so using pseudonyms since these events often offered cash prizes which amateurs were barred from accepting on pain of being declared professionals. All the indications are, however, that this indigenous track racing scene had largely disappeared by the late 1900s. British track cycling today, at least at the higher levels, is concentrated on modern velodromes and handicap events have also all but disappeared. Moreover, events based on the Imperial mile have been replaced by metricated distances which accord with what is now considered international ‘best practice’ by the UCI. In short, track cycling in Britain has progressively lost its popular local character and become increasingly standardised in accordance with UCI dictates.
Amongst the effects of the UCI’s globalised standardisation of track racing has been the disappearance of track events based on the Imperial mile which was the norm in Anglophone regions for most of the 20th century. Table 2 details the resulting changes in championship events held under the auspices of the South African Cycling Federation during the 20th century.
A similar pattern was evident in the UCI’s decisions on world championship title events held annually over the course of the 20th century: These were progressively pared down to Simes’ ‘athletic tests’ with the amateur/professional distinction ultimately falling away and the progressive introduction of more title events for women in the later decades. The tandem event also disappeared along with the motor–paced (‘demi–fond’) events with the 1000cc pacing machines being unsuited to the new short indoor tracks.
Clearly during the course of the 20th century potential spectators continued to receive mixed messages from cycling’s decision–making bodies about the entertainment value of track racing particularly at national and international levels. On the one hand, the events and race meetings were widely advertised to attract an audience; on the other, with the nature of the events being such that their results were determined largely by the times set by individuals (or in some cases teams) riding alone, the events created little in the way of immediate on–track entertainment or excitement. As Watson and Gray (1978:236) observe, ‘…the “championship” events…are closer to the world of pure track athletics’. In short, these held little interest for the general public and attracted only insiders and devotees.
But it was not only the nature of the predominant track competitions along with the cycling tracks on which they were staged which morphed over the course of the 20th century. Popular localised track cycling ‘sub–cultures’ also eroded, often disappearing entirely.
The globalisation of track cycling
In his autobiography, Reg Harris mentions three early formative influences on his racing career: racing on grass tracks, local sports days and track handicaps. All three were popular in pre–World War II Britain and were often combined in the gala days of villages and towns. Harris even mentions the existence of a breed of ‘handicap riders’ who specialised in riding these events. Rumour is that many who rode the grass track circuit did so using pseudonyms since these events often offered cash prizes which amateurs were barred from accepting on pain of being declared professionals. All the indications are, however, that this indigenous track racing scene had largely disappeared by the late 1900s. British track cycling today, at least at the higher levels, is concentrated on modern velodromes and handicap events have also all but disappeared. Moreover, events based on the Imperial mile have been replaced by metricated distances which accord with what is now considered international ‘best practice’ by the UCI. In short, track cycling in Britain has progressively lost its popular local character and become increasingly standardised in accordance with UCI dictates.
Amongst the effects of the UCI’s globalised standardisation of track racing has been the disappearance of track events based on the Imperial mile which was the norm in Anglophone regions for most of the 20th century. Table 2 details the resulting changes in championship events held under the auspices of the South African Cycling Federation during the 20th century.
Table 2. Changes in South African (SACF) National Track Championship events over the 20th Century*
| Events Discontinued | Events Introduced |
| 440yards
(¼ mile) 1907–1961 (54 years) 880 yards (½ mile) 1907–1948 (41 years) 1 mile 1894–1968 (64 years) 5 miles 1894–1962 (68 years) 10 miles 1907–1968 (61 years) Tandem sprint 1949–1981 (32 years) 25 miles motor paced 1909–1938 (29 yrs) Total: 7 |
1
000 metres individual TT 1935– 1 000 metres individual TT 1935– 4 Kilometres indiv. pursuit 1949– 4 Kilometres team pursuit 1939– Match sprint 1939– 20 Kilometres 1969– Total: 6 |
Several features are
evident in these changes:
• The total disappearance of mile–based events
• A movement away from bunch events (5 events discontinued)
• Increase in individual &/or time–based events (3 events introduced)
• Introduction of metric–based events
• Traditional events of long standing discontinued
In all these respects, the South African (SACF) case would, in microcosm, appear to reflect the changes in localised popular track cycling culture in the Anglophone world.
Apart from Japan’s Keirin racing, track racing as it occurs throughout the world today appears, at least at the higher levels of the sport, to be uniform in the types of events contested.
The anonymity of the modern track rider
Dressed in skinsuits and wearing hardshell aerodynamic helmets often with visors incorporating darkened lenses, track riders in the early 21st century are all but anonymous. In particular, the facial features and expressions of individual modern riders are hidden from spectators, totally depersonalising them. The riders appear remote to the point of being almost robotic modern–day gladiators,
Contrast this with the situation obtaining for much of the 20th century when track cyclists raced initially without any protective headgear whatsoever or, subsequently, used flimsy ‘Danish’ strip crash hats. Riders were then instantly recognisable to spectators. In six–day events in particular, riders were encouraged to establish various ‘personas’ in the public mind, with some being cast as heroes, others as villains and others again as pedalling clowns. Cycling journalists also reported extensively on riders’ feuds and debated controversial race outcomes – features still evident today in road racing journalism. Thus for instance, Toni Merkens’ sprint victory over the Dutchman Arie Van Vliet at the 1936 Berlin Olympics occasioned widespread press controversy at the time as Van Vliet’s objection to the German’s erratic line in one of the finals was overruled by the judges.
Similarly, Reg Harris’
widely reported ‘feud’ with Van Vliet in the
post–World War II era undoubtedly added spice to their
subsequent
sprint encounters and served to attract spectators in their droves to
meetings involving the two.
It might well be argued that hardshell helmets are a necessary safety feature which, had they been introduced at an earlier stage, would have saved many falling track riders from severe head injuries. However, this is debatable since many modern track events are ‘against the clock’ and hardshell helmets – particularly the most enveloping – are often only used as aerodynamic aids rather than for protection.
The reality is that modern track racing champions, while undoubtedly great athletes in their own right, lack the personal charisma which their 20th century predecessors enjoyed in the public mind and which served to regularly draw spectators to track meetings in large numbers.
Does track cycling have a future in the 21st century?
Modern velodromes are very costly structures to build and maintain, the existing prestige track events on national and international agendas have limited public appeal, popular localised track cycling cultures have declined in the face of the sport’s globalisation and modern track riders do not enjoy the international public recognition and adulation accorded to either their 20th century predecessors or their road racing contemporaries.
The prospects of track cycling reviving as a mass spectator sport would thus seem rather bleak. However, the recent reincarnation of the fixed wheel machine in the world of urban cycle couriers has stimulated a new craze for ‘fixies’ with street cred amongst the young. Already there are reports of a portable mini indoor track of some 25 metres per lap appearing on the scene. Perhaps, therefore, a new track racing craze is in the offing more akin to skateboarding and ‘extreme sports’ than to the currently staid world of UCI and Olympic competition.
• The total disappearance of mile–based events
• A movement away from bunch events (5 events discontinued)
• Increase in individual &/or time–based events (3 events introduced)
• Introduction of metric–based events
• Traditional events of long standing discontinued
In all these respects, the South African (SACF) case would, in microcosm, appear to reflect the changes in localised popular track cycling culture in the Anglophone world.
Apart from Japan’s Keirin racing, track racing as it occurs throughout the world today appears, at least at the higher levels of the sport, to be uniform in the types of events contested.
The anonymity of the modern track rider
Dressed in skinsuits and wearing hardshell aerodynamic helmets often with visors incorporating darkened lenses, track riders in the early 21st century are all but anonymous. In particular, the facial features and expressions of individual modern riders are hidden from spectators, totally depersonalising them. The riders appear remote to the point of being almost robotic modern–day gladiators,
Contrast this with the situation obtaining for much of the 20th century when track cyclists raced initially without any protective headgear whatsoever or, subsequently, used flimsy ‘Danish’ strip crash hats. Riders were then instantly recognisable to spectators. In six–day events in particular, riders were encouraged to establish various ‘personas’ in the public mind, with some being cast as heroes, others as villains and others again as pedalling clowns. Cycling journalists also reported extensively on riders’ feuds and debated controversial race outcomes – features still evident today in road racing journalism. Thus for instance, Toni Merkens’ sprint victory over the Dutchman Arie Van Vliet at the 1936 Berlin Olympics occasioned widespread press controversy at the time as Van Vliet’s objection to the German’s erratic line in one of the finals was overruled by the judges.
Toni Merkens left with Sellinger
(Oscar?) doing a track stand during the Sprint Races at the Berlin
Olympics 1936
It might well be argued that hardshell helmets are a necessary safety feature which, had they been introduced at an earlier stage, would have saved many falling track riders from severe head injuries. However, this is debatable since many modern track events are ‘against the clock’ and hardshell helmets – particularly the most enveloping – are often only used as aerodynamic aids rather than for protection.
The reality is that modern track racing champions, while undoubtedly great athletes in their own right, lack the personal charisma which their 20th century predecessors enjoyed in the public mind and which served to regularly draw spectators to track meetings in large numbers.
Does track cycling have a future in the 21st century?
Modern velodromes are very costly structures to build and maintain, the existing prestige track events on national and international agendas have limited public appeal, popular localised track cycling cultures have declined in the face of the sport’s globalisation and modern track riders do not enjoy the international public recognition and adulation accorded to either their 20th century predecessors or their road racing contemporaries.
The prospects of track cycling reviving as a mass spectator sport would thus seem rather bleak. However, the recent reincarnation of the fixed wheel machine in the world of urban cycle couriers has stimulated a new craze for ‘fixies’ with street cred amongst the young. Already there are reports of a portable mini indoor track of some 25 metres per lap appearing on the scene. Perhaps, therefore, a new track racing craze is in the offing more akin to skateboarding and ‘extreme sports’ than to the currently staid world of UCI and Olympic competition.
NOTES
1
These cyclists in turn attracted other celebrities. For instance, Les
Woodland (op. cit., pp.90–1) notes that the French track
sprinter
Louis ‘Toto’ Géradin (1930 world amateur
sprint
champion and subsequently a frequent pro world sprint medallist) had a
longstanding affair with the chanteuse Edith Piaf who referred to him
as ‘my champion’. At sixes in the United States
during the
1920s and 1930s the then–noted wealthy actress, Peggy Joyce,
frequently sponsored ‘primes’ during the races.
Bing Crosby
was also a six–day fan. The early Paris sixes at the Vel
d’Hiv regularly attracted crowds of 20 000 spectators
including
the actress Mistinguet and the millionaire banker Baron Rothschild both
of whom often sponsored ‘primes’.
2 The Vel d’Hiv story is inextricably bound up with France’s 20th century history. Originally built and owned by Henri Desgrange, editor of l’Auto and founder of the Tour de France it subsequently passed to the Goddet family which had strong ties to Desgrange, l’Auto and the Tour de France. The first six–day was held there in 1913; the last in 1958. After a fire it was demolished in 1959. The Vel d’Hiv was used as the cycling venue for the 1924 Olympics – the first time an indoor velodrome (250 metres long on the stayers’ line) was the venue. However, the Vel is now remembered primarily for the horrific ‘1942 Roundup’ of Jewish people by the Nazis and the French police. Some 8 000 people were locked into the velodrome for five days without food, water or adequate toilets prior to being sent to the Auschwitz death camp. In 1995, President Chirac publicly apologised on behalf of the French people for this episode and a monument to the victims was erected on the site of the demolished Vel d’Hiv.
3 The German sprinter, Toni Merkens, who was the 1936 Berlin Olympic sprint champion, participated in many city ‘grand prix’ and won several. He was a great favourite on British tracks in the pre–war period. He was sponsored by Hetchins Cycles, rode in Wembley six–days on their machines and is best–remembered for his curved Merkens stems. He was killed in action with the German army on the Russian front in 1944.
Toni Merkens at Wembley with Hetchins curly-stays and trade-mark stem
4 The world’s leading builders of track frames and machines (solos, tandems and demi–fond) of that era – Cinelli, Masi and Pogliaghi – were all concentrated in Milan. Masi was located under one of the Vigorelli’s bankings. Masi and Pogliaghi built track machines for many leading professionals which were then painted and badged in the liveries of their sponsors.
References
Harris, Reg (with G.H Bowden). 1976. Two Wheels to the Top: The Autobiography of Reg Harris. London: W.H. Allen.
Jowett, Walter. 1982. Centenary: 100 Years of Organised South African Cycle Racing. South Africa: South African Cycling Federation.
Simes, Jack (with Barbara George).1976. Winning Bicycle Racing. Chicago: Contemporary Books.
Watson, Roderick and Martin Gray.1978. The Penguin Book of the Bicycle. London: Allen Lane.
Woodland, Les. 2001. ‘Let me entertain you’ in Procycling. June 2001. Pp.89–94.
Websites Visited
Wikipedia on Olympic cycling, Velodrome d’Hiver, Vigorelli.
Hetchins
Classic Lightweights
2 The Vel d’Hiv story is inextricably bound up with France’s 20th century history. Originally built and owned by Henri Desgrange, editor of l’Auto and founder of the Tour de France it subsequently passed to the Goddet family which had strong ties to Desgrange, l’Auto and the Tour de France. The first six–day was held there in 1913; the last in 1958. After a fire it was demolished in 1959. The Vel d’Hiv was used as the cycling venue for the 1924 Olympics – the first time an indoor velodrome (250 metres long on the stayers’ line) was the venue. However, the Vel is now remembered primarily for the horrific ‘1942 Roundup’ of Jewish people by the Nazis and the French police. Some 8 000 people were locked into the velodrome for five days without food, water or adequate toilets prior to being sent to the Auschwitz death camp. In 1995, President Chirac publicly apologised on behalf of the French people for this episode and a monument to the victims was erected on the site of the demolished Vel d’Hiv.
3 The German sprinter, Toni Merkens, who was the 1936 Berlin Olympic sprint champion, participated in many city ‘grand prix’ and won several. He was a great favourite on British tracks in the pre–war period. He was sponsored by Hetchins Cycles, rode in Wembley six–days on their machines and is best–remembered for his curved Merkens stems. He was killed in action with the German army on the Russian front in 1944.
Toni Merkens at Wembley with Hetchins curly-stays and trade-mark stem
4 The world’s leading builders of track frames and machines (solos, tandems and demi–fond) of that era – Cinelli, Masi and Pogliaghi – were all concentrated in Milan. Masi was located under one of the Vigorelli’s bankings. Masi and Pogliaghi built track machines for many leading professionals which were then painted and badged in the liveries of their sponsors.
References
Harris, Reg (with G.H Bowden). 1976. Two Wheels to the Top: The Autobiography of Reg Harris. London: W.H. Allen.
Jowett, Walter. 1982. Centenary: 100 Years of Organised South African Cycle Racing. South Africa: South African Cycling Federation.
Simes, Jack (with Barbara George).1976. Winning Bicycle Racing. Chicago: Contemporary Books.
Watson, Roderick and Martin Gray.1978. The Penguin Book of the Bicycle. London: Allen Lane.
Woodland, Les. 2001. ‘Let me entertain you’ in Procycling. June 2001. Pp.89–94.
Websites Visited
Wikipedia on Olympic cycling, Velodrome d’Hiver, Vigorelli.
Hetchins
Classic Lightweights