An afternoon with Vin Denson
Leigh village hall – 2pm Saturday 9 January 2010
Come and listen to one of cycling’s heros – Vin Denson.
Born in Chester, he chanced his arm and moved abroad back in the early 60s to start a sparkling professional career.
It was a huge gamble in those days, a big step into the unknown.
With just £200 in his pocket, the proceeds of selling off his furniture and other belongings, Vin and his suitcases arrived in Paris by train in April 1962. He was joining battle with just one complete bike and two spare pairs of wheel.
But he wasn’t alone as alongside him, and a partner in this overseas venture, was his wife Vi, as well as a little more…. Vi was already expecting their first child.
Vin might have been big in the UK but out there it was still all to do.
Living out of a room in Troyes, he was to kick off his career as a rider for one of the city’s two racing clubs.
But Vin was a strong rouleur and possessed a prowess that soon got him noticed.
He quickly climbed up the ladder and reached the top rung, receiving the call to join the top team of the day, Ford France, where the leader was Jacques Anquetil, the first man to win the Tour de France five times.
Jacques was very fair with his domestiques: quick to thank them for their hard work on the bike and quick to pay them their fair dues.
Vin’s record as the only British rider to win a stage of the Giro d’Italia stood for more than 20 years.
He also won the Tour of Luxembourg, following in the footsteps of Louison Bobet and Charly Gaul.
This extract from Vin’s book might whet your whistle….
His way to win a race was by being strong and riding so hard that “you wear the others down and then you beat them to the line”.
Vin adds: “There are other ways of doing it, of course. People talk about how this or that sprinter can finish like a rocket, shooting out of the bunch in the last 200 metres to snatch the victory.
“But I have never really respected sprinters. I admire the way they can kick out such terrific speed, but sprinters are often lazy, conceited, temperamental and introverted, whereas the real rouleurs, climbers and plain common grafters are generally more friendly, outgoing and relaxed.”
So if you want to hear someone who has all of those qualities – friendly, outgoing and relaxed – come and join us and hear more from the man himself.
Time: 2pm
Date: Saturday 9 January 2010
Venue: Leigh village hall in Surrey
Tickets: £6 in advance (or £8 on the day)
Contact: John Leitch 01737 84 36 01 or johnleitch65@googlemail.com
Plan: Vin’s talk will run for around 60- 80 mins
After a break for a cup of tea there will be a further 30- 40min for questions
Book signing: Vin has published his story in a book entitled 'The Full Cycle'. Copies will be on sale.
Youngsters: 20 free places available to riders aged 5-16 who are members of a club affiliated to the Surrey Cycle Racing League
Where is Leigh? On the main A25 road between Dorking and Reigate… take the road south at the roundabout at the mid-point…. it is signposted for Betchworth.
Surrey League
Leigh village hall – 2pm Saturday 9 January 2010
Come and listen to one of cycling’s heros – Vin Denson.
Born in Chester, he chanced his arm and moved abroad back in the early 60s to start a sparkling professional career.
It was a huge gamble in those days, a big step into the unknown.
With just £200 in his pocket, the proceeds of selling off his furniture and other belongings, Vin and his suitcases arrived in Paris by train in April 1962. He was joining battle with just one complete bike and two spare pairs of wheel.
But he wasn’t alone as alongside him, and a partner in this overseas venture, was his wife Vi, as well as a little more…. Vi was already expecting their first child.
Vin might have been big in the UK but out there it was still all to do.
Living out of a room in Troyes, he was to kick off his career as a rider for one of the city’s two racing clubs.
But Vin was a strong rouleur and possessed a prowess that soon got him noticed.
He quickly climbed up the ladder and reached the top rung, receiving the call to join the top team of the day, Ford France, where the leader was Jacques Anquetil, the first man to win the Tour de France five times.
Jacques was very fair with his domestiques: quick to thank them for their hard work on the bike and quick to pay them their fair dues.
Vin’s record as the only British rider to win a stage of the Giro d’Italia stood for more than 20 years.
He also won the Tour of Luxembourg, following in the footsteps of Louison Bobet and Charly Gaul.
This extract from Vin’s book might whet your whistle….
His way to win a race was by being strong and riding so hard that “you wear the others down and then you beat them to the line”.
Vin adds: “There are other ways of doing it, of course. People talk about how this or that sprinter can finish like a rocket, shooting out of the bunch in the last 200 metres to snatch the victory.
“But I have never really respected sprinters. I admire the way they can kick out such terrific speed, but sprinters are often lazy, conceited, temperamental and introverted, whereas the real rouleurs, climbers and plain common grafters are generally more friendly, outgoing and relaxed.”
So if you want to hear someone who has all of those qualities – friendly, outgoing and relaxed – come and join us and hear more from the man himself.
Time: 2pm
Date: Saturday 9 January 2010
Venue: Leigh village hall in Surrey
Tickets: £6 in advance (or £8 on the day)
Contact: John Leitch 01737 84 36 01 or johnleitch65@googlemail.com
Plan: Vin’s talk will run for around 60- 80 mins
After a break for a cup of tea there will be a further 30- 40min for questions
Book signing: Vin has published his story in a book entitled 'The Full Cycle'. Copies will be on sale.
Youngsters: 20 free places available to riders aged 5-16 who are members of a club affiliated to the Surrey Cycle Racing League
Where is Leigh? On the main A25 road between Dorking and Reigate… take the road south at the roundabout at the mid-point…. it is signposted for Betchworth.
Surrey League
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