Geoff Wiles
Encyclopedia
Geoff Wiles was an English
racing cyclist who competed for his country as an amateur and won the national road championship as a professional. He organised cycling and other races, helped form BMX
in Britain
and ran a cycle-shop in Kent
, England
.
, Kent
, England, Wiles began cycling when his parents took him and his sister with them in sidecar
s attached to their bicycles. He joined the local branch of the Youth Hostels Association and rode with enthusiasts there until a colleague at work at the BP
refinery on the Isle of Grain
in Kent, south-east England, persuaded him to join the Medway Road Club. He rode his first 10-mile time trial
when he was 15 and finished in 26m 47s on a heavy bike with a fixed gear and John Bull Safety tyres.
He came third in his first road race, at Hoo, Kent, when he was 18. His first important win was the three-day Vectis event on the Isle of Wight
the following year.
The win brought Wiles selection for the South of England team for the Milk Race, the Tour of Britain
in 1966. He won a stage at Hove
, near Brighton
. He rode for Britain in the Peace Race the following year before joining the Clive Stuart professional team, based at a cycle business near his home, in 1970. He rode with Reg Smith, John Clarey, Pete Smith and Reg Barnett, winning his sponsors' own race, the Clive Stuart Grand Prix, that same year. From there he moved to the Holdsworth
team alongside Les West
, Colin Lewis
and others and won the national road championship in 1976. He came third in 1977.
Holdsworth sent a team to Paris–Roubaix. Wiles and his team-mate, Phil Corley finished behind the main field. Wiles said the first 20 were allowed on the velodrome
where the race finished and the doors were then closed and the rest were stopped from entering. "So we bunked over the wall and did our [finishing] lap," he said. "We could then say we'd completed the course, even though we were not included on the official list of finishers."
He moved to Carlton Cycles, sponsored by a company associated with Raleigh
, in 1979 and then to minor sponsors, Glemp and New Style Windows, before retiring after 1981.
Wiles organised races while still riding and, in retirement from competition, organised more races and also what he called "the toughest race in the world": a quadrathlon of a two-mile swim in the sea, a 50 km walking race, a 100-mile cycling race around the Brands Hatch
motor-racing circuit, and a full marathon that ended in Gravesend
, near his home. He also helped launch BMX in Britain, founding an organising body and commentating on television.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
racing cyclist who competed for his country as an amateur and won the national road championship as a professional. He organised cycling and other races, helped form BMX
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and ran a cycle-shop in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Biography
Born in StroodStrood
Strood is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. It lies on the north west bank of the River Medway at its lowest bridging point, and is part of the Rochester post town....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England, Wiles began cycling when his parents took him and his sister with them in sidecar
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
s attached to their bicycles. He joined the local branch of the Youth Hostels Association and rode with enthusiasts there until a colleague at work at the BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
refinery on the Isle of Grain
Isle of Grain
The Isle of Grain, in the north of Kent, England, is the easternmost point of the Hoo Peninsula. No longer an island, the Isle is almost all marshland and the Grain Marshes are an important habitat for birdlife...
in Kent, south-east England, persuaded him to join the Medway Road Club. He rode his first 10-mile time trial
Time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
when he was 15 and finished in 26m 47s on a heavy bike with a fixed gear and John Bull Safety tyres.
He came third in his first road race, at Hoo, Kent, when he was 18. His first important win was the three-day Vectis event on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
the following year.
The win brought Wiles selection for the South of England team for the Milk Race, the Tour of Britain
Tour of Britain
The Tour of Britain is a cycle race, conducted over several stages, in which participants race from place to place across parts of Great Britain....
in 1966. He won a stage at Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
, near Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. He rode for Britain in the Peace Race the following year before joining the Clive Stuart professional team, based at a cycle business near his home, in 1970. He rode with Reg Smith, John Clarey, Pete Smith and Reg Barnett, winning his sponsors' own race, the Clive Stuart Grand Prix, that same year. From there he moved to the Holdsworth
Holdsworth
Holdsworth was a bicycle manufacturer in London, United Kingdom. It was created by William Frank Holdsworth, known as Sandy. -Beginnings:...
team alongside Les West
Les West
Les West was one of the dominant figures of amateur and professional cycling in Britain during the 1960 and 1970s. He won the Milk Race twice, came second in the world amateur road race championship and fourth in the world professional championship.-Early career:Born in Hanley, Staffordshire,...
, Colin Lewis
Colin Lewis
Colin Lewis is an ex-professional racing cyclist. He started racing at 19 and rode the Milk Race in 1960, finishing 7th.- Biography :...
and others and won the national road championship in 1976. He came third in 1977.
Holdsworth sent a team to Paris–Roubaix. Wiles and his team-mate, Phil Corley finished behind the main field. Wiles said the first 20 were allowed on the velodrome
Velodrome
A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights...
where the race finished and the doors were then closed and the rest were stopped from entering. "So we bunked over the wall and did our [finishing] lap," he said. "We could then say we'd completed the course, even though we were not included on the official list of finishers."
He moved to Carlton Cycles, sponsored by a company associated with Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, in 1979 and then to minor sponsors, Glemp and New Style Windows, before retiring after 1981.
Wiles organised races while still riding and, in retirement from competition, organised more races and also what he called "the toughest race in the world": a quadrathlon of a two-mile swim in the sea, a 50 km walking race, a 100-mile cycling race around the Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
motor-racing circuit, and a full marathon that ended in Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
, near his home. He also helped launch BMX in Britain, founding an organising body and commentating on television.