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Tommy Godwin, (1912–1975) était un cycliste Anglais. Il détient, depuis 1939, le record du monde de la plus grande distance parcourue à vélo en un an (75 065 miles ou 120 805 kilomètres), ainsi que celui du temps le plus court pour parcourir 100 000 miles, soit 160 000 kilomètres [1] [2].

Early life[modifier | modifier le code]

Godwin was born in 1912 in Stoke on Trent. To help support his family he worked as a delivery boy for a greengrocer (or newsagent[2]) and with the job came a heavy bike with metal basket. The basket was hacked off and the 14-year-old Godwin won his first 25 milles (40,2336 km) time trial in 65 minutes.[1][2]

Cycling[modifier | modifier le code]

Amateur career[modifier | modifier le code]

After his initial time trial success he subsequently clocked inside 1 hour 2 minutes for 25 miles on four occasions, and covered 236 miles in 12 hours.[2]

In 1933 he earned the seventh award in the 'Best All-rounder Road Riding Competition, open to all amateur cyclists in the United Kingdom. His average speed was 21.255 mph.[2] His individual performances were :

  • 50 miles, 2 hours 10 mins 12 secs, (23.077 mph)
  • 100 miles, 4hrs, 40 mins, 6 secs, (21.428 mph)
  • 12 hours - 231 5/8 miles. (19.25 mph)[2]

Professional career[modifier | modifier le code]

Godwin left his amateur status at Potteries CC to join Rickmansworth Cycling Club as a professional. After more than 200 road and time trial wins, the mileage record beckoned.[1]

World endurance records[modifier | modifier le code]

In 1911 the weekly magazine Cycling began a competition for the greatest distance cycled in a single year. The first holder was Marcel Planes of France, with 34 666 milles (55 789,519104 km). The record has been established nine times.[3] A tenth claim, by the English rider Ken Webb, was later disallowed.[n 1]

Year Record holder Country Distance
1911 Marcel Planes Drapeau de la France France 34 666 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1932 Arthur Humbles Drapeau du Royaume-Uni Grande-Bretagne 36 007 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1933 Ossie Nicholson Drapeau de l'Australie Australie 43 966 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1936 Walter Greaves Drapeau du Royaume-Uni Grande-Bretagne 45 383 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1937 Bernard Bennett Drapeau du Royaume-Uni Grande-Bretagne 45 801 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1937 René Menzies Drapeau de la France France 61 561 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1937 Ossie Nicholson Drapeau de l'Australie Australie 62 657 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1938 Billie Dovey (female) Drapeau du Royaume-Uni Grande-Bretagne 29 604 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1939 Bernard Bennett Drapeau du Royaume-Uni Grande-Bretagne 65 127 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)
1939 Tommy Godwin Drapeau du Royaume-Uni Grande-Bretagne 75 065 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.)

In 1937 the Australian Ossie Nicholson had regained his record from Briton Walter Greaves by covering 62 657,6 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.). At 5am on 1 January 1939 Godwin set out to bring the record home. He wasn't alone; two other British riders started that day, Edward Swann and Bernard Bennett. Swann crashed after 939,6 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.), but Bennett fought it out with Godwin for the rest of the year. In sportsmanship their support teams, which included pace-makers, stopped at 50 000 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.) to let the riders complete the attempt on personal merit. Godwin was sponsored by the Raleigh Bicycle Company and Sturmey-Archer.[4]

Godwin's bike weighed more than 30 livres ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.). As war came he rode through blackouts, his lights taped to a glow. Silk knickers were substituted for chamois inserts and Godwin maintained his vegetarian diet. For the first two months Godwin's mileage lagged 922 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.) behind Nicholson's schedule. Godwin increased his daily average beyond 200 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.) a day, and on 21 June 1939 completed 361 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.) in 18 hours, his longest ride of the record.

On 26 October 1939 Godwin rode into Trafalgar Square having completed 62 658 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.), gaining the record with two months to spare. He rode through the winter to complete 75 065 mi ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.) in the year.

In May 1940 after 500 days' riding he secured the 100 000 milles ( Unité «  » inconnue du modèle {{Conversion}}.) record as well. Godwin dismounted and spent weeks learning how to walk before going to war in the RAF.

Later career[modifier | modifier le code]

Godwin returned in 1945, keen to race as an amateur. However, despite a petition by fellow cyclists, the governing bodies ruled that having ridden as a professional he was barred from amateur status. Godwin became trainer and mentor to the Stone Wheelers. Godwin died aged 63, returning from a ride to Tutbury Castle with friends.

Commemoration[modifier | modifier le code]

Godwin is commemorated by a plaque at Fenton Manor Sports Centre in Stoke on Trent that was unveiled on March 2005 by Edie Hemmings, the culmination of a 30-year campaign by her late husband, George. [5]

The record is still open for challenge but not for entry in the Guinness Book of Records, whose editors say further attempts would be too dangerous.

Citation in the Golden Book[modifier | modifier le code]

Godwin entered the Golden Book of Cycling on 31 December 1939. This recognised his record breaking exploits for averaging over 200 miles a day for a year.[2]

Notes[modifier | modifier le code]

  1. Ken Webb's claim was for 80 647 milles (129 788,765568 km) in 1972. Webb insisted he had completed the distance but others said he hadn't and he was removed from the Guinness Book of Records.

References[modifier | modifier le code]

  1. a b et c Tommy Godwin, biography, Dave Barter, June 2005 issue of "Cycle", accessed 24 September 2008
  2. a b c d e f et g Pedal Club archives - 1932-1972 - Citation for Thomas Edward Godwin
  3. Cycling, 1972, undated cutting
  4. BBC Radio 4 - Making History. Site includes Information, Pictures and Audio
  5. BBC Stoke - Sports News Archive - 2005

Further reading[modifier | modifier le code]

  • (en) Godfrey Barlow, Unsurpassed: The Story of Tommy Godwin, the World's Greatest Distance Cyclist, Norwich, UK, Mousehold Press, (ISBN 978-1-874739-14-2, lire en ligne)

External links[modifier | modifier le code]