Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Gorton, Manchester, England | 18 August 1958
Team information | |
Discipline | Road |
Role | Rider |
Rider type | Climber |
Amateur teams | |
1979 | GS Strada |
1980 | Manchester Wheelers' Club |
1981 | ACBB |
Professional teams | |
1986 | Raleigh – Weinmann |
1987 | Raleigh – Banana |
Major wins | |
National Champion (1982) |
Jeffrey Williams (born 18 August 1958) is an English former professional road racing cyclist from Manchester. He rode for Great Britain at the Olympic Games, [1] and won several national championship titles.
In 1979 Williams won his first British National Hill Climb Championships [2] setting a new course record that still stands to this day. [3] A rival, Andy Hitchens, who remembers it well, said: "Williams looked like he'd been on starvation rations for months — he was built like a sparrow. Some people assume that there was a howling tailwind that day, but there wasn't. It was sunny, but cool.” [3] In 1980 Williams joined the Manchester Wheelers' Club and was expected to win International honours during the next two or three seasons. [4] Later that year he won his first stage in the Sealink International finishing four minutes clear. [4] However Williams was left disappointed in the National Hill Climb Championships that year beaten into second place by Malcolm Elliott by only one fifth of a second after being knocked off his bike whilst warming up and receiving a broken nose and severe bruising. [4] At the age of 21 Williams competed for Great Britain in the individual road race at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. [5] [6] He was sponsored by Harry Hall Cycles. [7] Williams finished 47th, alongside Stephen Roche. [6] At the end of the 1980 season Williams publicly declared his intention of living and racing in France for the 1981 racing calendar with a view to turning professional [4] therefore joining the French club ACBB (Athletic Club de Boulogne Billencourt), Europe's most successful sports club. [8]
In 1982 Williams completed a unique double, of the British Road Race Championship and Hill Climb Championship becoming the first person to do so in the same season. [4] Williams competed in the individual road race at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. [9] [10] [11]
In 1986 he joined Raleigh riding with Paul Sherwen, Mark Bell, Paul Watson and Jon Clay. [12] Williams retired at the end of the 1987 season. He was famed for his hill climbing ability and considered by many to be one of the most exciting riders, he scaled the heights throughout his career, but also plumbed the depths. [4]
Williams starred in the intro for the Channel 4 coverage of the Tour de France throughout the late 80s to mid 90s (see video Video on YouTube). The music was composed by Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks. [13]
Jeff was brother-in-law to fellow Olympic cyclist Peter Longbottom (13 May 1959 – 10 February 1998). [6] [14] He is also the younger brother of Mike Williams a former professional rider. [14]
Christopher Miles Boardman, is an English former racing cyclist. A time trial and prologue specialist, Boardman won the inaugural men's World time trial championship in 1994, won the individual pursuit gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics, broke the world hour record three times, and won three prologue stages at the Tour de France.
Roger Hammond is a male English retired bicycle racer, specialising in cyclo-cross and road cycling.
Paul Sherwen was an English professional racing cyclist and later a cycling broadcaster, notably covering the Tour de France. He raced in seven editions of the Tour, finishing five, and gained a reputation for his ability to suffer over long mountain stages. After his cycling career, he became a broadcaster, providing live commentary for English-speaking television stations especially of the Tour de France, which he covered for 33 years.
Sean Yates is an English former professional cyclist and directeur sportif.
Malcolm Elliott is a former English professional cyclist, whose professional career has lasted from 1984 to 1997 when he retired and from 2003 up to 2011 when he made his comeback in British domestic racing.
Russell Downing is an English former professional cyclist, who rode competitively between 1999 and 2019 for numerous teams, such as Team Sky and JLT–Condor. He is the younger brother of fellow cyclist Dean Downing, and both brothers competed largely on the UCI Continental Tour and in British Premier Calendar races.
Marc Madiot is a French former professional road racing cyclist and double winner of Paris–Roubaix. He also competed in the individual road race event at the 1980 Summer Olympics. Retired from racing in 1994, he is now best known as the directeur sportif of Groupama–FDJ, a UCI WorldTeam. He is also known as the president of the French Ligue National de Cyclisme (LNC). In 1987, he made disparaging remarks about the sport of women's cycling, calling it ugly and unesthetic.
Christopher Malcolm Newton is a road and track racing cyclist. Newton is a multiple world champion and triple Olympic medalist.
Paul Curran is a former professional English racing cyclist from Thornaby, North Yorkshire.
John Tanner is a retired British Professional cyclist from Yorkshire.
John P Herety is a former English racing cyclist. He rode for Great Britain in the Olympic Games and won the national road championship as a professional. He is currently manager of the JLT–Condor cycling team, and occasionally provides studio-based analysis of cycle races for British Eurosport.
Gordon McCauley is a New Zealand cyclist. He has won the men's New Zealand road race championships a record five times and the New Zealand time trial championships a record three times. He was also the first New Zealander to break the 50 minute barrier for the 40 km time trial, recording a time of 49 minutes 50 seconds at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, winning the bronze medal.
Steve Joughin is a former professional Manx road racing cyclist. He was the first Manxman ever win the British professional road race title. He is arguably one of the best UK riders of his generation, riding in the 1980s.
Allan Peiper , is a retired Australian professional cyclist and current pro cycling team manager.
Mark Bell was an English professional cyclist from Birkenhead. He rode for Britain in the Olympic Games, won the national road championship as an amateur and then a professional and was the first foreigner to win the Étoile de Sud stage race in Belgium. He died at 49 after collapsing at his home in Bebington, Wirral. He had recently recovered from alcoholism.
Robert Downs is a former English professional cyclist from Basildon, Essex.
Graham Jones is a former professional English road racing cyclist from Manchester, England. He rode in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. He is often described as one of the classiest riders that Britain has ever produced, but his career was hindered by being over raced in his early days, and by injury in his later days. He is one of the few English-speaking riders to have stood on the podium of the Flanders Classics Het Volk.
Darryl James Webster is a former English professional cyclist from Walsall.
Phil Griffiths is an English former racing cyclist from Stone, Staffordshire.
David J. Akam is a retired track and road cyclist. He was active professionally between 1984 and 1987.