Roubaix preview and 21 years of Hugh Porter
Cycling April 7, 1977
The cover of this issue is graced with what many consider to be the greatest cycling jersey of all time: the red, white and blue of Brooklyn. Despite the name and the obvious American influence in the design that looked a lot like the Lone Star flag of Texas, this was an Italian team with an Italian sponsor.
Brooklyn chewing gum comes from Linate, near Milan, and was born out of an Italian interest in US pop culture fuelled by the import of American goods by troops posted there after the Second World War.
The jersey looks great even smothered in the grime from the farm roads of northern France. This is perhaps where it will be best remembered, on the shoulders of Roger De Vlaeminck on three of his four Paris-roubaix wins.
This week’s preview looks at the history of the race, first run in 1896
using motor-pacers and used by many riders as a warm-up to the more prestigious Bordeaux-paris. De Vlaeminck was Mr Parisroubaix, the first rider to win the event four times – a feat matched by Tom Boonen in 2012.
The note at the end mentions how excited the British Holdsworth team were to ride in ’77. “All the lads are very keen,” said manager Roy Thame. “Naturally they’re a little apprehensive.”
Elsewhere there was a look back at Hugh Porter’s 21-year career. Having won four professional individual pursuit world titles, Porter was now 37, and the rider/manager of the Bantel team. The ad at the end of the piece even encouraged readers who wanted a Bantel frame to write to Porter to place an order with the Scottish-based manufacturer.
In the news was “The fabulous Belgian star” Eddy Merckx coming to Eastway, courtesy of boxing promoter Mike Barrett, and Paul Sherwen winning the Grand Prix Pernod (one of a number of sponsorship-led incarnations of the Archer GP) for the second year. He was only 20 years of age.