A small club with a big history hits another milestone

Ravensthorpe Cycling Club in West Yorkshire is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year and is appealing to anyone with memorabilia to get in touch, reports the Huddersfield Daily Examiner.

Over the years club has had four Olympians within its ranks, the most famous of which is Brian Robinson, the first Briton to ride in the Tour de France as well as the first to win a stage.

Founded before the Tour was even a twinkle in Henri Desgrange’s eye, the club is planning a series of events to mark its latest milestone.

Club secretary and Kirklees councillor Martyn Bolt, said the full programme will be announced in the coming months but some elements are already in place.

“We are one of the oldest cycling clubs in the area, being founded in 1891, and everyone is looking forward to celebrating our 120th anniversary,” he said.

“The centrepiece will be the 120-mile ride when we would be glad to welcome anyone who wishes to come along.

“We’ll be riding from Mirfield and Ravensthorpe up to Sutton Bank, so it’s fairly flat until Thirsk and then you've got the massive climb before we come back via the plains of York.

“With one mile for every year of the club, we feel it’s a good way to mark the anniversary, but we will be having other events as well.”

For those interested in the history of the club a DVD featuring archive footage has been compiled and an exhibition of items from its past is planned for later in the year.

Mr Bolt said: “We would like to hear from any former members who may have memorabilia, items to do with the club or old jerseys which we could display.”