Tom Larcombe

Last updated

Tom Larcombe
Personal information
Full nameTom Larcombe
Born1881
Argyle County
Died1967 (aged 8586)
Campsie
Team information
RoleRider

Tom Larcombe (1881-1967) was an Australian racing cyclist with notable success in long distance road races.

Contents

Career highlights

1904
1st Australian national road race title and
Blue Riband for fastest in the Warrnambool to Melbourne Classic [1]
1906
1st Bathurst to Sydney [2]
1907
1st Australian national road race title and
Blue Riband for fastest in the Warrnambool to Melbourne Classic [3]
1908
Fastest Goulburn to Sydney Classic [4]

Australian professional cycling career

Larcombe twice won the Australian national road race title by winning the Blue Riband for the fastest time in the Warrnambool to Melbourne Classic in 1904 [1] and 1907. [3] In 1904 Larcombe finished second off a handicap of 20 minutes, riding the 165 miles (266 km) in a time of 7h 48' 7" and his prizes were a Speedwell bicycle for finishing 2nd and a Massey-Harris bicycle for the fastest time. In 1907 Larcombe was riding from scratch in a new course record of 7h 40' 10" and his prize for the fastest time was another Massey-Harris bicycle. In 1908 Larcombe was unable to repeat his earlier success, finishing 87th after losing 16 minutes due to a puncture. [5] He continued to compete in the Warrnambool finishing 89th in 1909 [6] and 67th in 1910. [7]

In 1906 Larcombe won the Bathurst to Sydney covering the 133.5 miles (214.8 km) in 9h 11' 5". [2]

Larcombe lived in Goulburn and was a regular competitor in the Goulburn to Sydney Classic. He only set the fastest time once, in 1908, riding from scratch, setting a new course record of 6h 35' 56" for the 131.5 miles (211.6 km). [4] His prize? Another Massey-Harris bicycle. He also received his expenses to travel to the Warrnambool to Melbourne. In 1904 Larcombe finished 3rd and had the 2nd fastest time behind Jack Arnst. [8] In 1905 Larcombe finished well back in 36th. [9] In 1906 Larcombe was the lone scratch rider and his arrival was not officially recorded, having been 1h 20' behind the leaders at Liverpool. [10] Larcombe was 22nd in 1907 [11] and 32nd in 1909. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hubert Opperman</span> 20th-century Australian racing cyclist

Sir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, OBE, referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s earned him international acclaim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic</span> One-day cycling race

The Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic cycling race is a one-day road bicycle race. The race started in 1895 and is Australia's oldest one day race and the world's second oldest one day race, after the Liège–Bastogne–Liège Classic. Historically until 1938 the race started in Warrnambool and finished 165 miles (266 km) later in Melbourne. In 1895 the race was run in the opposite direction, from Melbourne to Warrnambool and then again from 1939. The route started in the Melbourne central business district and followed the Princes Highway to Warrnambool on Victoria's western coast. This traditional route was the longest race on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) calendar, the exact distance varying slightly over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Arnst</span>

Richard Arnst or Dick Arnst, born Jacob Diedrich Arnst, was a New Zealand rower and cyclist. He won the Single Sculls World Championship six times during the early part of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian National Road Race Championships</span> National road cycling championship in Australia

The Australian National Road Race Championships, are held annually with an event for each category of bicycle rider: Men, Women & under 23 riders. The event also includes the Australian National Time Trial Championships since 2002. The Australian Championships were officially known as the Scody Australian Open Road Cycling Championships from 1999 to 2010, taking the name of their main sponsor. This changed to the Mars Cycling Australia Road National Championships from 2011 but they are more commonly referred to as The Nationals. The under 23 championships were introduced in 2001. Note that these results do not currently include the senior and junior amateur road race championships that were held prior to the open era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Lamb</span> Australian cyclist

Richard William "Fatty" Lamb was an Australian racing cyclist who competed on both road and track, as was typical of Australian cyclists of the era such as Hubert Opperman. Throughout his career, Lamb was associated with Malvern Star Bicycles and Bruce Small.

Iddo "Snowy" Munro was an Australian racing cyclist. The highlights of his career were winning the Australasian long distance road championship in 1909 and competing in the 1914 Tour de France. Munro won the championship by winning the Blue Riband for the fastest time in the Warrnambool to Melbourne race. Munro set a record time of 7h 12' 51" which was not broken until 1931. Munro had a long association with the Warrnambool and his other efforts were 30th in 1907, 45th and fastest rider receiving over 10 minute start in 1908 and 60th in 1910.

Alby Barlow was an Australian racing cyclist from 1935 who road for Oakleigh. In 1947 he was the Australian 100 miles road champion and holder of the 25, 50 and 100 miles Australian unpaced road records

Keith Rowley (1919–1982) was an Australian racing cyclist.

Eddie Smith was an Australian racing cyclist. He won the Australian national road race title in 1954 and 1955. Smith finished second in 1956 behind Russell Mockridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ern Milliken</span>

Ernest Milliken was an Australian Road racing cyclist who performed strongly in distance races and individual time trials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goulburn to Sydney Classic</span>

The Goulburn to Sydney cycling race was a one-day road bicycle race. The first race was held in 1902 with the last in 2012.

Walter "Hefty" Stuart (1912–1938) was an Australian cyclist who competed on both road and track, as was typical of Australian cyclists of the era such as Hubert Opperman and Richard Lamb.

Max Rowley was an Australian racing cyclist.

Ernest "Ernie" Bainbridge (1890–1984), also known as Ern Bainbridge, was an Australian racing cyclist, who is best known for competing in the 1928 Tour de France with fellow Australian Percy Osborn and Hubert Opperman and New Zealander Harry Watson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Kirkham (cyclist)</span>

Duncan "Don" Kirkham was an Australian racing cyclist. Kirkham was a regular competitor in Australian long distance cycling races. He won the Goulburn to Sydney Classic in 1910, riding off scratch and setting the fastest time. In 1911 he was 2nd and set the fastest time, riding the 131 miles (211 km) in a record time of 6h 19' 31". Kirkham's time was not beaten until 1925 by Richard "Fatty" Lamb. He had previously finished 5th in 1909. and finished outside the top 20 in 1912.

Alan "Pete" Angus (1912–1988) was an Australian racing cyclist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Arnst</span> New Zealand cyclist

John Arnst was a New Zealand racing cyclist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centenary 1000</span> 1934 Australian road bicycle race

The Centenary 1000 cycling race was a one-week road bicycle race over seven stages covering 1,102 miles (1,773 km). The race was run in 1934 as part of the celebrations of the Centenary of Victoria. The race was originally conceived along the lines of the Dunlop Grand Prix, won by Hubert Opperman then aged 23, by 1h 20' and the concept for the race was covering 1,000 miles (1,600 km) with prizes exceeding £1,000, including a climb over Mount Hotham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunlop Grand Prix</span>

The Dunlop Grand Prix was, in 1927, the biggest cycling race in the British Empire and the richest race in the world. It was organised by the Dunlop Rubber Company which had a long history of organising bicycle races, including the Warrnambool to Melbourne, Colac to Melbourne and Goulburn to Sydney. As a result of the Dunlop Grand Prix, the Warrnambool was not held in 1927 however the Colac and Goulburn races were.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Ross (cyclist)</span>

Ken Gordon Ferndale Ross (1900–1974) was an Australian road and track cyclist. His best results were achieved in the Goulburn to Sydney, where he set the fastest time on three occasions and in the Sydney Six-day race which he won three times.

References

  1. 1 2 "The Dunlop Road Race won by J Wright". The Argus (Melbourne) . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 22 August 1904. p. 7.
  2. 1 2 "Great Road Race". The Sydney Morning Herald . NSW: National Library of Australia. 20 August 1906. p. 11.
  3. 1 2 "Dunlop Road Race M. B. Dobie wins". The Argus (Melbourne) . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 30 September 1907. p. 6.
  4. 1 2 "Goulburn road race". The Sydney Morning Herald . NSW: National Library of Australia. 21 September 1908. p. 11.
  5. "Dunlop Road Race won by J.T. Donohue, NSW". The Argus (Melbourne) . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 5 October 1908. p. 8.
  6. "Dunlop Road Race W.E. Knaggs the winner". The Argus (Melbourne) . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 4 October 1909. p. 8.
  7. "Dunlop Road Race won by C.A. Piercey". The Argus (Melbourne) . Melbourne, Vic.: National Library of Australia. 3 October 1910. p. 5.
  8. "Cycling". Sydney Sportsman . Surry Hills, NSW: National Library of Australia. 10 August 1904. p. 4.
  9. "Goulburn to Sydney". The Referee . Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 20 September 1905. p. 6.
  10. "Goulburn to Sydney Road Race". The Referee . Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 28 November 1906. p. 8.
  11. "Cycling chatter". Sydney Sportsman . Surry Hills, NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 September 1907. p. 4.
  12. "Goulburn to Sydney". The Referee . Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 22 September 1909. p. 9.