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Race Summary Credit: Race Programme |
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The 1946 race ran from 29-July to 3-August and was the second organised by the BLRC (British League of Racing Cyclists). The race programme lists 70 riders but not arranged, or numbered, by team. Instead they are in some sort of seeding order with Ernie Clements getting No.1 and Lance Corporal Edmund Wotek being last man allocated at No. 70. Full start list >>> A short film of the race is available at British Pathe. |
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Report of Stage 1 - Brighton-London, 52 miles - by Bill Mills and J Dennis FIRST BLOOD TO AUSSIES An enormous crowd thronged the front at Brighton to see the start of the second annual Brighton to Glasgow cycle race. Long before the actual departure, spectators were grouped round the various bicycles, official cars and lorries, asking the usual thousand and one questions of the layman. At last the hour of noon drew near, and the Mayor of Brighton had the riders presented to him, prior to dropping the starting flag which sent the gaily coloured field off on the first mile of its 532-mile journey to the North. Of the field of 70 entrants, 18 failed to start, including the two stars of the B.L.R.C., Ernie Clements and Ted Jones, recently resigned from the League. Also missing were Walter Greaves, one-armed Vegetarian, Les Plume, S. Manchester, Dick Boyden, S. Coureurs, and five of the Polish team of eight. The remaining three Poles were on borrowed bikes, their own machines having lost in transit. Not surprisingly, - they encountered various mechanical troubles, and lagged far behind the field right from the start. All quiet for the first few miles, but on the long climb up Handcross Hill, R. Baker and J. Collins broke away from the field, and set off for a ten miles excursion on their own, well in front. But the field made an effort at last, and wore them down before reaching the next climb (and first hill to count in the King of the Mountains contest). Climbing the hill, the field stretched out into single file, and G. Hill (an "independent" riding for Hickman Cycles) was first over the top. Charlie Helps, former British (N.C.U.) sprint champion, came by well back, having had gear trouble. Once over the top, the field regrouped, and remained compact until the finish, Just off the Kingston by-pass, on a fine, but flat, cinder track at Hotspur Park Grounds, where the two Australians, Alf Strom and Roger Arnold proved to be the best sprinters to the line. Jaggard of the Ealing fell at the entry to the track badly grazing his arm. |
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Final General Classification
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