Billy Bilsland

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Billy Bilsland
Personal information
Born (1945-11-09) 9 November 1945 (age 80)
Glasgow, Scotland
Amateur team
Glasgow Wheelers

William "Billy" Law Bilsland (born 9 November 1945) is a British former professional racing cyclist.

Contents

Amateur career

Bilsland began racing in 1963. As an amateur he raced mostly in the UK, especially in his native Scotland. He did though win in continental Europe taking 2 stages of the 1965 Tour of Slovakia. He also won in continental Europe taking 2 stages of the Peace Race in East Germany in 1966. That year he represented the Scotland team at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, in the road race event, finishing 9th. [1] [2]

He won another stage of the Peace Race in 1967, this time in Liberec. [3]

He competed in the individual road race at the 1968 Summer Olympics. [4]

In 1969 he raced more prominently in continental Europe, winning a stage and the general classification of the Saint Pourcain 3 day race. He also won a stage of the Tour Nivernais Morvan (finishing second overall in the GC) and of the Tour de l'Avenir. These wins sandwiched a 16th-place finish in the World Amateur Road Race Championship held that year in Brno in Czechoslovakia.

Professional career

Turned pro in 1970 joining the Peugeot team in France for 3 seasons. [3] He finished 14th in the 1971 World Professional Road race championship, finishing 6 minutes and 51 seconds behind winner Eddy Merckx. [5]

In 1973 he joined the TI Raleigh team for 2 seasons. [3]

Post racing career

He retired from racing in 1974. He opened the eponymous bike shop Billy Bilsland Cycles in 1980 in Glasgow's Saltmarket, since taken over by his son Neil.

References

  1. ↑ "England Kingston 1966". Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  2. ↑ "English riders in front" . The Scotsman. 17 July 1968. p. 15. Retrieved 11 December 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. 1 2 3 "William Bilsland". Archived from the original on 31 March 2016.
  4. ↑ "Billy Bilsland Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Results World Championships Road Race 1971 - CyclingRanking.com". cyclingranking.com. Retrieved 17 April 2023.


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