Jump to content

John Atkins (cyclist): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Line 52: Line 52:
;1969
;1969
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:1st [[Three Peaks (cyclo cross race)|Three Peaks]]
:1st [[Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross]]
;1970
;1970
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:1st [[Three Peaks (cyclo cross race)|Three Peaks]]
:1st [[Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross]]
;1971
;1971
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
Line 68: Line 68:
;1976
;1976
:2nd [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:2nd [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:1st [[Three Peaks (cyclo cross race)|Three Peaks]]
:1st [[Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross]]
;1977
;1977
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]
:1st {{flagicon|GBR}} [[British National Cyclo-cross Championships]]

Revision as of 21:27, 28 November 2009

John Atkins
Personal information
Full nameJohn Atkins
Team information
DisciplineCyclo-cross
RoleRider

John Atkins (born 7 April 1948[1]), is a former racing cyclist specialising in cyclo-cross, and 12 times national cyclo-cross champion. He was a professional cyclist between 1968 and 1979.

Biography

Atkins was born in Coventry, the son of Edith and Roland (Ron) Atkins. His mother was a prolific breaker of long-distance records in the 1950s.

John Atkins began cycling on the cleared areas and bomb sites that followed intensive bombing of Coventry in the Second World War. He started racing at 17.

He won his first national cyclo-cross championship in 1961 when he was 19. He was in a group of four and passed them by taking a longer route to the right around bushes where the others had ridden to the left.[2] It gave him a few seconds' lead that he held to the finish.

He won again in 1962 but was handicapped until 1966 by a stomach ulcer. He dominated cyclo-cross in Britain for the next 10 years.

He came fifth in the 1968 world championship, then turned professional for a sausage-maker, Mash & Baxter. A year later he moved to Carlton Cycles for five years. He rode for Viscount-Shimano from 1975 to 1978 and then for Harry Quinn Cycles. He retired in 1979.

Atkins founded John Atkins Cycles in Coventry, now known as Coventry Cycle Centre.[3] [4]After retiring from professional cycling, Atkins ran a cycle and toy shop in Pwllheli on the Llŷn Peninsula.

Palmarès

References

  1. ^ "Profile". The Cycling Website.
  2. ^ "Coventry - John's Results". Ride Coventry. Retrieved 2008-09-15.
  3. ^ "Coventry Cycle Centre".
  4. ^ "John Atkins Cycles".