Cycle Race - anyone know where?

[Ray T]

It’s definitely too early for lycra shorts - 1970’s? There was no problem washing the woolen ones, it was stopping the chamois inserts turning to cardboard that was the problem!

I was thinking that the photo might be the centre of Levenshume - within spitting distance of the old Fallowfield Velodrome. The bend in the road fits but I can’t get an exact match for most of the buildings.

[BumbleB]

Hated having to wash woollen shorts - and the chamois - hence the use of Vaseline.  I did have to do this from 1964, so I do know what I'm talking about.

[KGarrad]

Right hairstyle but I don’t think we have enough info for a positive ID.

Four cyclists wearing identical kit does suggest a ream time trial and their configuration across the road and large crowd suggests the finish line. I’d have thought a big event would have been run on closed roads though, especially at the finish. Such an event doesn’t equate with that much traffic.

Closed roads weren't allowed in England & Wales until recently

[arthurk]

Four cyclists wearing identical kit does suggest a ream time trial and their configuration across the road and large crowd suggests the finish line.

You might be right, but cyclist no.2 (from the left) seems to be pedalling hard as his legs aren't even a blur. The legs of the others can all be made out reasonably well, which might suggest they are coasting at that point. That doesn't seem quite like a finishing line to me, unless they were under team orders to let no.2 win.

And I could be wrong, but the orange isn't perhaps the right shade for a Dutch national team.

It's very hard to be sure on this, as the original was rather faded. I did a bit of tweaking, and maybe others have done this too, but I can't be sure that I got it right. Moreover, different brands of colour film had different characteristics, so the same colour in life wouldn't always look the same on film.

With these shirts, as well as the colours I was wondering if the pattern was identifiable - black with orange(?) shoulders and upper arms.

[Ray T]

Four cyclists wearing identical kit does suggest a ream time trial and their configuration across the road and large crowd suggests the finish line.

You might be right, but cyclist no.2 (from the left) seems to be pedalling hard as his legs aren't even a blur. The legs of the others can all be made out reasonably well, which might suggest they are coasting at that point. That doesn't seem quite like a finishing line to me, unless they were under team orders to let no.2 win.

The team time trial is exactly what it says - a team event. The time recorded isn’t that of the first person over the line it’s the time that rider “x” passes the line. E.G. in the TdF, with teams of 8, it’s taken on the fourth rider so some riders may be pedalling and some may not.

Whether a road is/was closed or not is down to the individual local authority. Roads have been temporarily closed for a host of reasons. Major funerals, military parades etc. - Manchester had its Whit Walks and mosy places in times gone by had carnival processions.

[arthurk]

Thanks - I didn't know that.

[Fresh Fields]

Am I seeing things    ?
Is there something written on the side of the second cycle from the left?
Looks like writing with a date ? 195?

Or is my imagination running or even pedalling away with me?

Looby

Hi there. I to see what looks like placards, and excess baggage on two of the bikes. Could it have been a charity race, or delivery boy race ? Telegram boys racing ?

Agree with 1950's, but topside is not my part of the world, so just ruminating.

Alan.

[Ruskie]

Far right of the photo - what is that orange ‘thing’ the man appears to be holding?

[Ruskie]

Could one of these riders have been a famous person training with team members, rather than this being a specific event? Possibly someone like Reg Harris* who won a medal at the 1948 Olympics?  (may fit in date wise?)

There are motorcyclists and cars accompanying the riders, and likely to be more at the front out of shot of the photo as well. It is difficult to know if those watching came specifically to see this, or they just happened to be going about their daily activities and stopped to watch.

I wonder if knowing where Trish’s father lived in the 40s and 50s would help with the location, although he could have been out and about elsewhere ..... 

* he seemed to favour the leather helmets as posted by BB at reply #35.