This is my father in the middle and a good friend Albert Thorpe on the left. he was a good track sprinter in his day, there is no prize for guessing the third

Table of the Book Contents

out

Nuts & Bolts

This is the last entry in the book and I had intended it to  be the first chapter in the book

what do you think was I right or wrong

I never kept a diary  or made a collection of newspaper cuttings, mostly I have written from memory

. The two articles I wrote for the Sporting Cyclist in 1960/61 have been of  assistance. In addition, I had kept the race itinerary or program for the Tour de France L'Avenir, the Bayern Rundfahrt, the Investec 4 day stage race, where it is noted that the British team for the separate younger age race was: Keith Gordon, Mark Robinson, Geoff Platts and Phil Galloway

. Also,  I had the result for the race Tom  won on the 13 June 1958, plus the souvenir programme for the Vaux Grand Prix 18 June 1967, One programme was kept for the 7 times I rode the Tour of  Luxembourg, as this was for 1958, it must have been the first time I rode, where the only 2 other British riders listed were Doug Collins and Denis Hill.

Luckily, I retained a copy of the German magazine The Velo for 1988, which had some details of the races in Provence, add to the list a couple of French Magazines which had cyclo-sporting results.

. By chance a couple of years ago I purchased an old Sport and Vie magazine in a local Bric-a-brac at Binic, which had some details of the Mid Aout Bretagne for 1961

     At one time I did have a log book of the prize money I had earned  recording the finishing results for my time in Brittany. A necessary check of verification to make sure you received your entitlement. 

     A few years ago , when I was clearing things out, I came across these records, when looking at the money involved, was disgusted with how little this was and threw them away. I did not think it so  little at the time, it kept the wolf from the door. Supposedly, I  have  been influenced or even indoctrinated by the earnings of the businesses I have owned and directed,

Unquestionably, I was not the biggest earner  as a cyclist, but the confidence and experience I gained in  the the years 1960/61/62. have stood me in good stead in the world after cycling. Thereafter, going onto have a successful business career, even though  being hampered  by the  politics of the time.

Some of the most successful riders have  made a complete  mash of their investments or  business endeavours later. Stephens Roche's debts of £730,000 accrued by his hotel and training camps in Mallorca has made him no longer welcome on this island.

A recent example is Cippolini's restaurant venture in the USA

Earlier Malcolm Elliot's earnings were managed by a broker who misappropriated the funds: Malcolm having a few years of worry  before he received compensation.

Barry Hoban's venture into the  new cycle factory  in Wales went belly up, finally working as a rep very successfully at Phil Griffiths Cycle import business Yellow Ltd. 

Even Bernard Hinault' s investments in cycling component manufacturing and agricultural supplies were said not to have been without problems, which I suppose is why he went to work for the Tour De France at a salary not  commensurate with his status.

Sir Bradly Wiggins appears  to  have joined the list with liquidations of companies he had ploughed money into. Currently, he is  being sued for debts in excess of one million pounds .   

     I did not think you the reader wanted boring with too many detail of this and that race. some time ago, I looked at a book of some lesser rider like me, talking about what gear they rode in this time trial and why  the  preferred this course to that course, I thought this is so  boring: I am trying not to fall into that trap.. I hope I have succeeded and  I hope you will understand if an 82-year-old's , memory is not perfect.

A further review from SPR Self-Publishing Review

Spinning through the years of a remarkable life on the move, is an inspiring and original memoir from a humble champion of the sport.

Recounting his eclectic and adventurous decades as a long-distance cyclist, from amateur competitions in France, Spain, and England to securing  a World Championship in Russia, along with a diverse career off the bike, this is an intimate tale of resilience, discipline, and a healthy dose of reckless abandon, Whether competing, training, coaching, traveling, recovering, or relaxing in style, the author's free-spirited optimism and perennial stubbornness  lead to an effortlessly entertaining  read.

Neale's prose is often a smooth flow of memories and reflections, which keeps the memoir accessible and  seamless. The tone can also be  journalistic in its impartiality, even in serious moments, such as the tragic death of an old friend or deep disappointments at key points in his racing career.

That said, the unpolished nature of the writing simultaneously rings with authenticity, allowing Neale's personality and perspective to be fully expressed on the page. All told, this is a gritty clever, and honest portrait of a long and well-tread life, which will appeal to reader well beyond the world of cycling.