1960 Liberation Day Grand Prix Cycle Race

Race Report

Thrilling Finish To Grand Prix Cycle Race

Jersey Empire Games Representative Wins Trophy
One of the three Jersey racing cyclists who represented this Island in the last Empire Games, Don Ecobichon, who has for the past few years been the Caesarean Cycling Clubs outstanding racing man, added yet another honour yesterday morning when he crossed the line first to win the Sir Edmund Crane Trophy for the Liberation Day Grand Prix cycle race.

BEFORE THE RACE

At 10.20 with the tension around the start increasing every moment the clubs patron, Lady Kathleen Crane was welcomed by the president, Mr.F.Machon who then welcomed the Constable of St.Helier Mr P. J. Poingdestre. During this time the field of 20 riders were being marshalled out onto the road and arranged according to the draw for the starting positions. Precisely on the stoke of 10.30 the Constable lowered the Jersey flag and away for the first of the 20 laps went the riders in a blaze of colour. The course was formed by the circuit of Victoria Avenue, St Aubin’s road to First Tower, back on to Victoria Avenue the northern carriageway of which had very sensibly closed to traffic for the duration of the race.

FIRST BREAK-AWAY

At the end of the first lap it was seen that a bunch of the faster riders, consisting of four senior, three junior and one lone entry from Guernsey, Alan Renyard had broken away from the rest of the field and right from the start it was evident that not only the race itself but that competition for the lap prize and the prime prizes would be hotly contested. The lap prize was awarded to the rider who accumulated the greatest number of points, 6 5 4 3 2 1 for the first six over over the line in each lap and the prime prizes were awarded to the winners of certain laps selected by the chief judge and announced to the riders at the beginning of each one.

UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT

At the quarter stage of the race, D.Ecobichon had taken the lead in the lap competition with 20 points with junior Doug Lidster second with 18 and Stan Perchard a rider who also represented Jersey at Cardiff, third with 17. By this stage in the race there had been but one retirement that of Nigel Drelaud who was forced off his cycle by a car and sustained a broken collarbone. Treatment was given by the St. John Ambulance Brigade on duty who conveyed the rider to the General Hospital where after further attention he was not detained.

GOING WELL

Ecobichon had increased his point’s lead over his rivals by the half way stage by his superiority in the sprints for the 7th 8th and 9th laps but not in the 10th lap when he was beaten into second place by A.Renyard who took the prime prize. This effort of Ecobichon’s took its toll in then next two laps when juniors D. Lidster and Ken de la Haye both incidentally sons of previous Club Champions each won a lap, and by the 15th lap Ecobichon’s lead was reduced to 4 points.

It was seen by this three quarter stage of the race a second bunch of riders, some half-mile behind the leaders were having a private race of their own and the judges decided to award a prime prize to them. The bunch with veteran Bill Aubert the club’s captain, Don Cook,Roger Liot, Mike Sallai and Ian Mckenzie took up the challenge and the spectators near the finishing line had the excitement of two sprints in the 17th lap.

TACTICS

As the race drew to the last few laps there was great interest to see what tactics each of the leading eight riders would employ and so on the 19th when Stan Perchard started a break-way up the slop under Westmount, there was admiration for this rider who knowing that he had little chance of out sprinting his rivals, decided to do what is so difficult at that stage in the race. He opened up a 50 yard gap and held it to win the prime award for the 19th lap and the main bunch pulled him back and the danger was gone.

Throughout the race it was noticed that of the bunch only four considered themselves strong enough to contest for the lap prize as well as having the greater prize of the winning cup in their minds. The remaining four G. Audoire, J.Tanswell, A.Renyard and junior David Le Brocq played more of a waiting game: although “having a go” on one or two laps they were more content to sit in with the rest and wait for the finish.

TREMENDOUS FINISH

With the broadcast information that Ecobichon, Lidster and de la Haye were all equal with 75 points towards the lap prize at the end of the last lap but one there was a state of great excitement at the finish which mounted as the word went around that they were around on to the Avenue for the last time. With the two motorcycle out riders leading the way they could be seen jockeying for position and being the first to make the decision to break Doug Lidster started the move some 300 yards out with the rest of his wheel only to be engulfed in a terrific struggle for the line. With only a few yards separating him from the last in the bunch, Don Ecobichon once again showed the way, beating Jimmy Tanswell into second place and a very creditable performance from young David Le Brocq earned him the third position.

After a few moments breather Ecobichon was called up to the rostrum where Lady Crane presented him in due accordance with tradition with a bouquet of flowers and then the cup, the replica and the lap prize. He then took his place on the winners step whilst Jimmy Tanswell came up to receive his trophy followed by D.Le Brocq who received a special congratulation from Lady Crane.

Then followed the prime prize winners to receive there varying awards: Prime 1 G.Audoire: Prime 2 D.Ecobichon: Prime 3 A.Reynard: Prime 4 D.Ecobichon: Prime 5 G.Audoire: Prime 6 I.Mackenzie: Prime 7 S.Perchard

LAP POINTS

1st D.Ecobichon 81  2nd D.Lidster 76. 3rd K.de la Haye 75  4th S.Perchard 50. 5th G.Audiore 47  6th D.Le Brocq 40 7th A.Renyard 26 8th J.Tanswell 25