British Cycling names 50 Hall of Fame heroes
- Thursday, 17 December 2009
- 16 Comments
British Cycling Hall of Fame logo
British Cycling has announced the fifty people who have been inducted into its inaugural Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was created to honour those Britons involved in cycling who have made an indelible mark on the sport - be they riders, coaches, organisers or volunteers.
Hundreds of nominations were received, and a panel of experts sifted through the nominees to whittle it down to the 50 most worthy and influential figures in cycling over the past fifty years. The final 50, listed below, includes names from all facets of cycling.
The Hall of Fame judging panel consisted of Cycling Weekly editor Robert Garbutt, Guardian cycling journalist William Fotheringham, BBC commentator Hugh Porter, track world and Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton, BC president Brian Cookson and BC executive director Peter King.
"We made a conscious decision not to select elite riders who are still competing at an international level or coaches and managers at the top of their game," said Pendleton.
"We also agreed we should recognise administrators and volunteers who have been active in the sport over many years and have made a significant contribution to it during that time. There have also been several posthumous awards."
Cookson added: "The response we've had from the public for the Hall of Fame has been phenomenal and choosing just 50 individuals out of over a hundred proved very challenging.
"With such a fantastic number of nominations this year we have decided to make the Hall of Fame an annual event to enable us to recognise more recent and current cycling successes."
BRITISH CYCLING HALL OF FAME
Pat Adams
Caroline Alexander
Brian Annable
David Baker
Sid Barras
Stuart Benstead
Chris Boardman MBE
Bill Bradley
Beryl Burton OBE
Keith Butler
Arthur Campbell MBE
Brian Cossavella
Doug Dailey MBE
Tony Doyle MBE
Ian Emmerson OBE
Malcolm Elliott
Benny Foster OBE
Tim Gould
Eileen Gray CBE
Dave Hemsley
Barry Hoban
Dale Holmes
Mandy Jones
Peter Keen OBE
Peter King CBE
Stan Kite
Phil Liggett MBE
Craig Maclean
Paul Manning MBE
John & Doreen Mallinson
Yvonne McGregor MBE
Gerry McDaid
Jason McRoy
Chas Messenger
George Millar
Robert Millar
Graeme Obree
Hugh Porter MBE
Jason Queally MBE
John Rawnsley
Brian Robinson
Alan Rushton
Tom Simpson
Eddie Soens
Colin Sturgess
Dot Tilbury MBE
Graham Webb
Les West
Sean Yates
Tony Yorke OBE
Related links
Nominations open for British Cycling Hall of Fame
Robert Garbutt's blog: Playing the fame game
Reader comments
Add your commentsDecember 17 13:09
elwood
Surprised not to see Percy Stallard or Ian Steel in there
December 17 14:10
Brian Redfern
Why isn't Reg Harris on the list?
December 17 16:29
AndyP
Where's Reg Harris, Percy Stallard and Eileen Sheridan?
December 17 17:10
Chris
Agree - surprised not to see Reg Harris, in paricular.
December 17 17:24
Michael Murphy
Where is Trevor Bull?
December 17 18:57
Joe
No Chris Hoy?
December 17 21:35
elwood
Ah! Stallard and Steel too early for the 50 year rule. Fair enough. Be good to see the time limit expanded in future though.
December 17 22:46
Dave Marsh
I cannot believe that Reg Harris OBE is not included in the hall of fame listing. OK I accept that Reg was at the top of his game in the 40's and 50's, but he also proved he was still our best British Professional sprinter in the mid 70's and proved it by winning the National sprint championship at the ripe old age of 57. What does Sir Chris think about this ?
December 18 05:19
Jim Cummings
Also surprised at the omission of Reg Harris also I don't see any Northern Ireland names, Morris Foster M.B.E should be a obvious choice.
December 18 08:20
Paul Lewney
Why isn't Barrie Clarke on the list? You lot are dreaming!!
December 18 14:46
dodg
Fully understand the 50 years criteria, but would noy it have been great to have included pre 1959 and why not be more magnamious (prob sic) and include testers like Alf.
Missing from list within stated criteria - HELMS of course. The perfect example covering each and every week of the 50 years
December 19 05:38
Geoff Waters
I don't see a single quality British lightweight frame builder's name in the hall of fame list.. Has the last 50 years seen their total demise? Revered names from the past like A.S. Gillott, Jack Taylor, Hetchins, Harry Quinn, Claud Butler...all sadly gone, forgotten and seemingly without any heirs.
December 19 11:32
A. Jarvis
Can't believe that Sir Chris Hoy is not there, he must be the most successful British track cyclist ever! What is going on!?
December 22 17:18
Danny
No Sir Chris Hoy?!?!?!?
That is a joke - this list is already void without him in it.
Disgusted
December 31 16:50
Mrs. Monica Passey
It is with pride and gratitude that I noted from our local paper that my late father, Benny Foster, was to be honoured in the Hall of Fame. Thank you to those who enabled this to happen. My memories of him are of endless stamina in pursuit of his favoured sport and a single mindedness that left me speechless most of the time. His passion for cycling never wavered. I've had a little smile at his photo on my sideboard and thought how proud he would be. (The photo is with Hugh Porter at the World Championships at Leicester in 1970). Well done Pop. Thank you again. Monica Passey
April 02 02:55
Mark Fardon
(It's 253 words, if that's important?)
Surely we should recognise the whole & not just parts, unless we wish to turn British Cycling back into the famous "curate's egg"?
Shouldn't we go back as far as James Moore, consider technologists such as Dunlop, remember champions such as Harry Ryan & Thomas Lance and maybe consider "modern champions" like Dave Brailsford & Steve Peters ...and what about Johnny Helms & Frank Patterson, or even Punch in the early 20th century?
British Cycling's got so many "spider's legs" that it must qualify as the Guinness Book of Records' longest millipede(!)
Maybe we need to remember that "British Cycling", rather than "British Cycling Federation, trading as...", covers everyone; from those who go out to see our wonderful country quicker than a walker, but slow enough to appreciate it, through those, such as me, who also enjoy our racing (although it tends to be by wearing a Union Jack waistcoat in Denmark these days!), to those who dedicate their lives to the limit of their ability at competitive level (and 17 of our 30 Olympic gold medallists have come in the last 20 years (12 out of 21, if you use "normal" medal table measures)).
Sorry, this has turned into a cross between a dissertation for the future (ask Dr Hutch to mark it please!) and a request to recognise how wonderful we are as individuals and as a nation. I've been racing for a long time & cycling since I could walk; I hope you'll feel my views are valid, even if you have to edit them!