Finsbury Park cycling club is an institution, a bit like Blue Peter or Countdown, but it’s not on T.V, and not as many people know about it. But for those who are into road racing, their is a good chance that they know about Finsbury Park Cycle Club.
The club dates back to 1883, when England was a very different place than it is today. Way back in 1883 Queen Victoria was reigning the country, England had won the Ashes for the first time, the poor were really poor and the rich were swimming in it, the Elephant man was hot gossip, Jack the Ripper was just warming up, Blackburn became the first ever northern team to win the F.A Cup, and cycling was an activity for gents.
The old Queen Vic
Go for a ride, go home, put on your suit, have lunch, pose for pictures
Allow a nice lady to perch on the back
So back then it was all about us getting one over on the aussies (the Ashes), football (Rooney) , gory crime (Amanda Knox), freak shows (Jordan Uncovered), imbalance of wealth (look around you) and cycling. So nothing has really changed.
It was at Finsbury Park Cycle Club that Time Trials were invented. Back in the day, the clubs’ cyclists used to race on the road, but when an Act of Parliament made it illegal to race on the roads the club members got sneaky; to try and shake off the police the racers started at 1 minute intervals to disguise their true activity. Cunning…
If you fancy a police chase with one of the oldest clubs in the country, get in touch with them via their website.
