Open Writing

The decision to send cyclists to Munich had enormous organisational implications for Frank Eastwood and myself as the only two experienced cyclists in the country. My initial intention was to enter them for the individual 4000 metres pursuit and the 1000 metres time trial, both track events. The National Stadium of Malawi had a slightly banked cycle track running on the outside of the running track and the football pitch. Training facilities would not be a problem except for the poor condition of the surface in certain areas of the track.

Two considerations eventually forced me to abandon this option. Firstly, the Munich track would have 37 degree bankings. I was concerned that our riders would be over-awed by such steepness and would not have sufficient time to adapt. Secondly, the tubular tyres on which they would be racing required a high quality of glue to secure them to the wheel rims. As there would be no one available with the expertise to fit such specialist tyres I was concerned for the safety of the riders. There was also the possibility that an inexperienced person fitting them might result in safety checks being failed.

A decision was made to switch to the road race, a distance of some 200 kilometres. This required a different type of bike and training regime. I realised that there was not a' cat in hells' chance of our riders staying with the main field. I anticipated that they would be 'dropped' by the peleton soon after the start but there would be a good chance of them joining with riders from other weak cycling nations. By forming a working group there would be a reasonable chance that they might avoid being lapped and eliminated from the race. They did in fact, manage to cover 120 kilometres before being caught by the leading riders.

There was such an enormous gulf between riders from the majority of developing countries and those from Europe, North America and Australasia. It was a creditable performance by our riders given their lack of experience at this level and the alien environment in which they found themselves.

Soon after their return to Malawi an invitation was received from the Zambian Cycling Federation to send a team to compete in the annual Brunelli Trophy 110 kilometres road race to be held in Lusaka. After some hard negotiating Frank and myself managed to persuade a reluctant Polytechnic principal to let us take four days off on condition that there was no reduction in class contact hours. We took the two Malawian Olympic riders with us as the backbone of the team, Frank and myself as co-drivers of Frank's car. One bike in the boot of his '404' and three on the roof rack we drove the 1000 kilometres from Blantyre to the Zambian capital.

The Zambians had also organised a 25 kilometres four-man team time trial the day prior to the road race. The course ran from the airport to the outskirts of the capital. A police motorcyclist accompanied each team. After 15 kilometres our team was down to three riders when I 'blew' in response to the ferocious pace being set by my Malawian team¬mates. They had the advantage of having just returned from Munich whereas I had been absent from serious training for several weeks whilst on holiday in Tanzania.

Despite my weakness our team did manage to finish third out of the eight teams competing. The following morning we were introduced to the spectators outside President Kaunda's residence on Independence Avenue, which formed part of the circuit we would cover eleven times. I cannot recall how many laps I completed in the peleton but I was dropped unable to match the attacks constantly being mounted by the Zambian teams. We did not return to Malawi in disgrace however, Frank taking a high placing and Grimond, the younger of our two Olympic riders turning in a respectable performance.

The remainder of 1972 saw a continuation of regular racing and training. Towards the end of the year the Cycling Association of Malawi was invited to send two riders to compete in the All-Africa Games to be held in Lagos, Nigeria at the end of January 1973. Owing to the disastrous experiences of our riders at the hands of the Australian manager in Munich I insisted that a manager with cycling experience should accompany the riders. So it was that Frank flew with our Olympic representatives to Lagos. The trip proved to be a disaster. The airline failed to unload the bikes at Lagos airport. They continued on a journey to New York and back to Lagos. The delay causing a loss of valuable training time.

The riders also had to acclimatise in the far more humid conditions of West Africa. The road race in which they were competing produced a breakaway group of several riders. They were well on the way to contesting a sprint for the victors laurels when they were sent off-course by a careless marshall. It was the peleton, containing the two Malawian riders which galloped over the finishing line ahead of the breakaway group. A fiasco for all concerned.

Normal cycling activity continued back in Malawi until my departure in July 1973. Frank organised a surprise farewell party for me attended by the cyclists.

It was over a year before I again became involved in any serious cycling activities. Overland car journey from Malawi to the UK; job hunting; house hunting. All these events transpired to put cycling on the 'back burner'

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Eric’s book The First Seventy Years can be obtained for £10 by contacting http://mary@bike2.wanadoo.co.uk or telephoning 01484-658175.

All the cash raised by the book goes to a water aid project in Malawi.