Archer Road Club
Encyclopedia
The Archer Road Club is a cycling club
in London
, England. The club has produced national, world and Olympic
champions.
. The club has move from North Kensington
, via Hammersmith
to Acton
, but draws members from all London and further afield. The principal meeting place (especially in the summer) is Hillingdon Cycle Circuit
in Hayes
, West London.
In the 1970s the club was one of the first with sponsorship. Early sponsors included Cutty Sark whisky and Saba, a cycle component company.
The club has played host to riders from Australia and New Zealand, including Phil Anderson
, who became the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey
in the Tour de France
.
, one of Britain's top one day races, for 50 years. The 2006 edition was won by Mariusz Wiesiak of Poland from Malcolm Elliott
of Pinarello Racing Team.
won the gold medal for the individual pursuit
at the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens. He won the world championship for the pursuit in 2003 and 2007. In 2007 he was a member of the winning team pursuit
team. In 1998 Wiggins was world junior champion in the individual pursuit.
Steve Heffernan won a gold medal for the 10 miles scratch track race at the 1974 Commonwealth Games
. Heffernan won a bronze in the 1977 world professional 5km individual pursuit. In 1982 Steve Lawrence won the Commonwealth Games team time trial
event.
in 1973 (bronze), 1974, 1975 and 1976. Steve Heffernan won medals in 1972 (20km, gold), 1973 (800m grass, gold; 80km madison, silver), 1974 (individual pursuit, silver; 20km scratch, bronze), 1975 (individual pursuit, gold; 80km madison, bronze) and 1976 (individual pursuit, gold; madison, gold). Other prominent track riders include Malcolm Hill (1974 sprint champion), Robin Croker, Maurice Burton, Dave Le Grys
, Dave Brotherton, Shaun Fenwick and Keith Pettican.
championship in 1972 and the junior 25-mile time trial championship in 1974. Alf Engers
won the 25-mile championship in 1974. Dean Butler won the junior 25-mile championship in 1981.
In 1979 Canadian Ron Hayman
won the Tour of Ireland
for an Archer team named 'London Australia'. His team mate Phil Anderson
was second and Shaun Fenwick King of the Mountains.
Cycling club
A cycling club is a society for cyclists. It can be local or national, general or specialised. The Cyclists' Touring Club, CTC) in the United Kingdom is a national association; i-Team and are internet clubs; the Tricycle Association, Tandem Club and the Veterans Time Trial Association, for those...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. The club has produced national, world and Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
champions.
Formation and early history
Archer Road Club was founded in 1926 as a breakaway from Bayswater Wheelers. The original members met above Teddy Barnes' cycle shop in Archer Road. The shop (E.J. Barnes) is still there, but Archer Road has now been incorporated into Westbourne GroveWestbourne Grove
Westbourne Grove is a retail road running across Notting Hill, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, a section of west London, England. It runs from Kensington Park Road in the west to Queensway in the east, crossing over Portobello Road...
. The club has move from North Kensington
North Kensington
North Kensington is an area of west London lying north of Notting Hill Gate and south of Harrow Road.North Kensington is the key neighbourhood of Notting Hill...
, via Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
to Acton
Acton, London
Acton is a district of west London, England, located in the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross.At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people...
, but draws members from all London and further afield. The principal meeting place (especially in the summer) is Hillingdon Cycle Circuit
Hillingdon Cycle Circuit
Hillingdon Cycle Circuit is a purpose-built road cycling circuit situated in Minet Country Park, Hayes in West London. The 0.93 mile long, 6 metre wide circuit is used for year-round racing, training and leisure riding.-History:...
in Hayes
Hayes, Hillingdon
Hayes is a town in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. It is a suburban development situated west of Charing Cross. Hayes was developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries as an industrial locality to which residential districts were later added in order to house factory workers...
, West London.
In the 1970s the club was one of the first with sponsorship. Early sponsors included Cutty Sark whisky and Saba, a cycle component company.
The club has played host to riders from Australia and New Zealand, including Phil Anderson
Phil Anderson
Philip Grant Anderson OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who was the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.-Origins:...
, who became the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey
Yellow jersey
The general classification in the Tour de France is the most important classification, the one by which the winner of the Tour de France is determined. Since 1919, the leader of the general classification wears the yellow jersey .-History:...
in the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
.
The Archer Grand Prix
The club has organised the Archer Grand PrixArcher Grand Prix cycle race
- History :The Archer Grand Prix has been run annually for over fifty years, organised by Stuart Benstead of the Archer Road Club . It has been descried by British Cycling as a "long running classic". The first edition was held in 1956 and won by British rider, Alfred Howling...
, one of Britain's top one day races, for 50 years. The 2006 edition was won by Mariusz Wiesiak of Poland from Malcolm Elliott
Malcolm Elliott
Malcolm Elliott is an English professional cyclist, whose professional career has lasted from 1984 to 1997 when he retired and from 2003 up to the present day when he made his comeback in British domestic racing....
of Pinarello Racing Team.
Olympic, World and Commonwealth Championships
Former member, Bradley WigginsBradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
won the gold medal for the individual pursuit
Individual pursuit
The individual pursuit is a track cycling event where two cyclists begin the race from a stationary position on opposite sides of the track.The event is held over 4 km for men and 3 km for women. The two riders start at the same time and set off to complete the race distance in the...
at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens. He won the world championship for the pursuit in 2003 and 2007. In 2007 he was a member of the winning team pursuit
Team pursuit
The team pursuit is a track cycling event similar to the individual pursuit, except that two teams, each of up to four riders, compete, start on opposite sides of the velodrome.- Race format :...
team. In 1998 Wiggins was world junior champion in the individual pursuit.
Steve Heffernan won a gold medal for the 10 miles scratch track race at the 1974 Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
. Heffernan won a bronze in the 1977 world professional 5km individual pursuit. In 1982 Steve Lawrence won the Commonwealth Games team time trial
Team time trial
A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
event.
Track
The club won the team pursuitTeam pursuit
The team pursuit is a track cycling event similar to the individual pursuit, except that two teams, each of up to four riders, compete, start on opposite sides of the velodrome.- Race format :...
in 1973 (bronze), 1974, 1975 and 1976. Steve Heffernan won medals in 1972 (20km, gold), 1973 (800m grass, gold; 80km madison, silver), 1974 (individual pursuit, silver; 20km scratch, bronze), 1975 (individual pursuit, gold; 80km madison, bronze) and 1976 (individual pursuit, gold; madison, gold). Other prominent track riders include Malcolm Hill (1974 sprint champion), Robin Croker, Maurice Burton, Dave Le Grys
Dave Le Grys
Dave Le Grys is an English track cyclist, World Masters track champion, and cycling coach who has competed at international level for his country, winning a silver medal in the tandem sprint with Trevor Gadd at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada...
, Dave Brotherton, Shaun Fenwick and Keith Pettican.
Road
Alaric Gayfer won the juvenile 10-mile time trialIndividual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
championship in 1972 and the junior 25-mile time trial championship in 1974. Alf Engers
Alf Engers
Alfred 'Alf' Robert Engers was an English racing cyclist who set national records and won national individual time trial championships from 1959 to the late 1970s. He established a British record of 49 minutes and 24 seconds in 1978, averaging 30.364 mph...
won the 25-mile championship in 1974. Dean Butler won the junior 25-mile championship in 1981.
In 1979 Canadian Ron Hayman
Ron Hayman
Ron Hayman was one of the first Canadian cyclists to turn professional in the late 1970s, inspiring those following like fellow Canadian Alex Stieda...
won the Tour of Ireland
Tour of Ireland
The Tour of Ireland is a bicycle stage race held in August. The first race debuted in 1953 and ran until 1957. It was revived in 1965 and ran until 1985. In 1985 the 5 day Nissan International Classic took over as the Tour of Ireland. This lasted for 8 years until 1992...
for an Archer team named 'London Australia'. His team mate Phil Anderson
Phil Anderson
Philip Grant Anderson OAM is an Australian former professional racing cyclist who was the first non-European to wear the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.-Origins:...
was second and Shaun Fenwick King of the Mountains.
Colours
The club's colours are white with a yellow chest band and black sleeves.