1945 Britain’s Victory Cycling Marathon : Brighton to Glasgow
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Race Summary Credit: Race Programme
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At the Start of Stage 2; Ron Smith (no. 32), Alex Hendry (no. 4), Ernie Clements (no. 2) and Alan Colebrook (no. 70) leaving Buckingham Palace after presenting the BLRC’s illuminated address to King George VI. The event made a splash in the national newspapers - several versions of this same photo exist. It also resulted in royal recognition for the both the race and the BLRC.
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The 1945 race ran from 6 to 10-August and was organised by the BLRC (British League of Racing Cyclists). The race programme lists 99 riders and reserves but not arranged, or numbered, strictly by team. Instead the “big names” are in a seeded order, with Percy Stallard getting No.1, and the rest getting numbers in order of entry?
So far no contemporary copies of the results have turned up so have had to use info from other web sites ...
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Race Leader Ernie Clements (No 2) with Lord Mayor of London in August 1945 (Len Cocker - No 26 - is second from left but can anyone name with other riders? At least two look to be from Wolverhampton RCC and one looks to have No 49 - J Macken, Wrekin RCC?) Photo courtesy of Steve Morris
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Percy Stallard (No 1) with Miss London - Jean Kent - and Ernie Clements (No 2) in August 1945. Photo courtesy of Steve Morris
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Stage
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Date
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Route (mainly guess work!)
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1st
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Time
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2nd
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3rd
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1
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6-Aug-1945
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Brighton - London (52 miles)
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Ernie A Clements
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2:17:52
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Robert Batot
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Marcel Waterschoet
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2
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7-Aug-1945
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London - Wolverhampton (119 miles)
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Geoff Clark
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5:24:35
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Dennis L Jaggard
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Robert Poussel
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3
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8-Aug-1945
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Wolverhampton - Bradford (98 miles)
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Alex Hendry
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5:11:37
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Ernie A Clements
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Karl Bloomfield
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4
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9-Aug-1945
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Bradford - Newcastle upon Tyne (103 miles)
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Charles Van Lerberghe
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5:09:37
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Ron R Baker
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Jack A Williams
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5
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10-Aug-1945
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Newcastle upon Tyne - Glasgow (146 miles)
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Robert Batot
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7:38:25
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Jean Lauck
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Marcel Waterschoet
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Final General Classification
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Pos.
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Rider
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Time
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1
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Robert Batot
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25:27:34
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2
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Geoff Clark
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at 5:44
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3
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Dennis L Jaggard
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at 6:21
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4
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Charles Van Lerberghe
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at 10:17
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5
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Jean Lauck
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at 11:45
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6
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Marcel Waterschoet
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at 18:26
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7
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George Edwards
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at 18:26
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8
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Henry Nelc
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at 20:29
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9
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Robert Poussel
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at 23:08
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10
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Jack G C Taylor
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at 30:03
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11
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Vic Humphrey
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at 32:51
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12
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Jack A Williams
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at 38:47
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13
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Norman Taylor
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at 41:55
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14
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Kenneth Taylor
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at 42:45
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15
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Percy Stallard
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at 49:54
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16
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Ron R Baker
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at 51:48
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17
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A S Pearson
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at 1:03:31
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18
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Ron Sowerby
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at 1:08:59
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19
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Sydney Thompson
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at 1:19:02
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20
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Charlie Owen
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at 1:52:46
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21
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Maleels Osten
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at 2:07:05
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22
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Walter Greaves
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at 2:07:27
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23
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Sydney Aldridge
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at 2:19:20
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24
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Walter Summers
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at 2:20:38
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25
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Stewart Montgomery
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at 2:21:48
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26
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Morris Gough
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at 2:39:09
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