Tour Rider Function: Persevering with with Ed Hood’s sequence of ‘English talking’ Tour de France pioneers, Ed strikes onto Derek Harrison. Sadly Harrison died in Might, 2018 in his adopted residence of France, however his professional profession spanned the 60s and 70s and embrace many high wins and two appearances within the French Grand Tour. Right here is his story by Monsieur Hood.
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~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving alongside a stage route on the Tour de France.
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We’ll be posting a collection of Ed’s work from the previous 16 years, as a result of nice story-telling by no means will get previous.
Exhibiting his climbing legs
British Tour de France winners are actually commonplace however again in my youth, we may solely dream of such issues; nonetheless we had warriors on the market, battling Johnny Foreigner in his again yard – Barry Hoban, Mike Wright and a chap referred to as Derek Harrison. However in some way it handed me by that I’d misplaced one in all my boyhood heroes.
The TI Raleigh workforce outdoors London’s Waldorf Resort, 1972. Phil Marrows, centre. Left to proper: Pete Smith, Derek Harrison, Dave Watson, Trevor Bull, Brian Jolly, John Atkins (Carlton jersey) and Dave Rollinson
Derek Harrison died in Pernes-les-Fontaines, Provence, France on Might, twelfth final 12 months at 74 years-of-age. Like many, I used to be launched to continental racing by the pages of the late lamented Worldwide Cycle Sport journal. Many of the names pictured and written about have been international, there was no ‘Mondialisation’ in 1970; however one rider who I believed seemed tremendous cool and whose title I didn’t should wrestle with was Englishman Derek Harrison together with his excellent ‘born to experience a racing bicycle’ place and tinted shades.
The duvet of ‘Biking and Mopeds’ April 1964 – Sprinting towards Albert Hitchen
Born in Birmingham in 1944, he was good from the beginning, successful the Division Junior Highway Race Championship in 1960 and taking silver within the Junior Nationwide Highway Race Championship the identical season. Former British Novice Highway Race Champion, Grant Thomas raced towards Harrison again in that period; “Derek was an ‘previous’ junior, the British biking Federation rule again then was that you simply have been a junior for the total 12 months in case your birthday got here after January 1st and Derek was born in early March.
I’ve to say that I didn’t see a lot of him in these races, he was often up the street! He was unbelievably fashionable, he by no means seemed like he was attempting, while you’re younger and impressionable he was the sort of man you sought to emulate style-wise.”
With Manchester Wheelers main Peter Gordon and John Woodburn 1964
Harrison was with the Saracen Highway Membership till the tip of 1962 earlier than becoming a member of the well-known Manchester Wheelers – World Champion sprinter Reg Harris’s membership. By 1963 Harrison had develop into a prolific winner on the street and took the Star Trophy – primarily based on ends in high quality nationwide degree street races throughout the season – at simply 19 years-of-age.
Star Trophy winner 1964
Season 1964 noticed him established as one in all Britain’s premier riders, successful the celebrated Harp Lager Grand Prix, the equally fascinating Archer Grand Prix and ending second to hard-man and large finisher, Albert Hitchen within the Lincoln Grand Prix. Albert Hitchen was an ‘impartial’ or ‘semi-pro’ and together with males like Bernard Burns and Billy Holmes supplied stiff opposition for the amateurs they raced towards in that period.
Harrison rode the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 however he didn’t go in addition to he’d hoped; his restoration from a foul crash earlier within the season within the Vaux Grand Prix maybe not full? However he additionally discovered time in 1964 to complete second to pursuiter par excellence and future 4 occasions skilled champion of the world, Hugh Porter within the British Pursuit Championships.
Harrison on the observe
Thomas tells us; “He was one in all a only a few guys who may simply roll as much as the British Pursuit Championship with no particular coaching, leap on his observe bike and get near a specialist like Porter.”
Giving up is civil engineering research at Manchester College Harrison moved to France in 1966. Having been good at French in school he quickly settled into the lifestyle and notched up the wins; Orleans and Troyes being simply two, he was second within the Route de France, a significant newbie stage race and completed fourth within the 75 kilometre Novice Grand Prix des Nations time check the place Bernard Thevenet was third and Luis Ocaña fifth.
Derek Harrison – Raleigh 1973
The next season he received the Route de France, took two phases within the Circuit des Mines, was ninth within the Tour de l’Avenir – ‘Tour de France of the longer term’ – and second in Paris – Troyes one in all France’s oldest Classics. Thomas remembers; “there was no web again then so we weren’t conscious of all of his outcomes however we did know he was the most effective amateurs in France throughout these years.”
With Peter Hill on the remaining day of Tour de l Avenir 1966
He turned professional with Frimatic-Wolber-De Gribaldy for 1968, the latter title being that of Jean De Gribaldy, an aristocratic determine who ‘found’ the likes of Sean Kelly and who mentored Harrison in his newbie days. De Gribaldy owned a big furnishings enterprise in addition to taking a eager curiosity in his workforce and riders.
KOM within the 1968 Tour de Suisse
Harrison’s finest outcomes being in 1968 have been third within the particular person time trial and successful the king of the mountains within the Tour de Suisse towards the perfect opposition of the day. He additionally began the Tour de France that 12 months however was DNF after a crash led to an contaminated knee which meant a month’s keep in hospital. As with Merckx’s notorious crash at a observe assembly, behind the Derny after the Tour in 1969, Harrison was by no means fairly the identical rider once more. However in 1969 he had maybe his most notable skilled outcome, successful a stage within the Midi Libre forward of Luis Ocaña.
Man Caput, son of Harrison’s workforce supervisor instructed British author William Fotheringham in his guide, ‘Roule Britannia’ that; “he was a fantastic climber and rime trialist and never a foul sprinter.” Caput continues that his father felt Harrison had the category to be a Tour de France contender. On the again of the Midi Libre Harrison then rode a strong Tour de France, third on Stage Two and thirty second general however for the primary a part of the race had been within the high 10 on GC till a ‘jour sans’ on the Col de la Madeleine.
The Frimatic workforce
Thomas feels that maybe Harrison’s efforts to drop some weight to enhance his performances within the mountains maybe contributed to a lack of energy and power; “they didn’t have the science again then,” observes Thomas. Apparently, in his ‘Roule Britannia guide,’ Fotheringham remarks on how slender Harrison the ‘distinguished, educational’ trying man in entrance of him is; “I’m obsessive about my weight” he tells his interviewer.
However in his interview with Fotheringham, Harrison alludes to the laborious faculty he had signed up with; “As an newbie, they deal with you want a uncommon chook, after they realise you aren’t going to make it, you’re within the dustbin.” Thomas was extra succinct; “De Gribaldy ditched him after his knee harm.”
Fagor workforce card
For 1970 Harrison was with Fagor-Mercier with second on a stage of the Tour of Catalonia the hi-lite. British primarily based TI Carlton was his workforce for 1971 with whom he took a stage within the Worldwide Cycle Sport Three Day and was second on stage of Paris-Good. The next season he received the Netherseal GP and the prologue within the Tour of the North within the UK together with a raft of home placings. He was additionally again on the Tour de Suisse the place he took fourth within the mountain time trial and seventh on GC.
Relaxation day on the Tour de l’Avenir 1966
The workforce grew to become TI Raleigh for 1973 with is finest outcome third within the GP Monaco. Thomas remembers being instructed by the late Trevor Bull [British Professional Sprint Champion and criterium specialist, ed] who was a workforce mate of Harrison’s, that when Harrison when heard that there was going to be a ‘Raleigh Euro Workforce’ with the late Peter Submit on the helm for 1974, he made the choice to retire. And that was the tip of his skilled profession, settling in Troyes to work together with his father-in-law’s tyre enterprise. Latterly he moved to Provence, little question searching for the gentle local weather and laid again life-style in ‘Roman France’.
Carlton workforce card
Thomas thinks that Harrison’s nature meant that he by no means bought the publicity or recognition that different British professionals of that period did; “he was a quiet man, unassuming however so fashionable.”
That’s simply how I bear in mind him; ‘so fashionable’ – relaxation in peace Derek Harrison, gifted newbie and an expert we by no means noticed the perfect of.
Harrison had the fashion
# Huge due to Peter Hill and all of the unknown photographers. #
You’ll be able to see Ed Hood’s Options on different Tour riders of the previous right here:
Ian Metal – Tour de France Pioneer
John Kennedy – Tour de France Pioneer
Geraint Thomas’ First Tour Revisited!
Canadian Yellow Jersey Alex Stieda Talks Tour!
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