Ah, July. Le Tour de France is upon us once more. Tales of incredible efforts over the course of the three weeks’ cycling, covering in this centenary year, 3,404 kilometres (or about 2,115 miles) over 21 stages. Up and down mountains, through fields of sunflowers and onto the Champs-Élysées. Sir Bradley took the Maillot Jaune to Paris last year. Will Chris Froome make it a second Brit atop the podium?
Le Tour is a truly impressive bit of long-distance cycling, by any measure.
But let me tell you about the greatest long distance cyclist. And no, he’s not a Tour rider.
Let’s start back in 1911. Frenchman Marcel Planes set the record for the longest distance cycled in a year, riding 34,666 miles. The record changed hands over the years between Great Britain, Australia and France. In 1937, the record was up to 62,657 miles, held by Australian Ossie Nicholson.
On the 1st of January 1939, Bernard Bennett and Tommy Godwin set off to take the record back.
Bennett managed a staggering 65,127 miles over the year, but it was Tommy Godwin who took the record, cycling 75,065 miles.
That’s an average of 205 miles per day. Compare that with le Tour’s rather more modest average of 101 miles per day, and remember that le Tour has two rest days (and only goes on for three weeks!), and you get some idea of the enormity of Tommy’s achievement. What’s more he did it on a 14 kilo steel-framed bike with only 4 gears!
On 21st June 1939, he rode an incredible 361 miles, the equivalent of Wakefield to London and back. Even the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 didn’t stop him despite food rationing and blackouts meaning that he couldn’t cycle at night unless there was enough moonlight so he could see his way. Also no lycra for him, and cycling over the winter meant heavy woollen jerseys which must have been sodden!
By the 26th October, Tommy had beaten Ossie Nicholson’s record with 66 days to spare, but he didn’t stop there, pushing on to break through 75,000 miles on December 31st.
What’s even more astonishing is that he didn’t stop there either, but continued on until May 1940 to secure the fastest-ever 100,000 mile record.
There’s a brilliant website dedicated to Tommy’s record-breaking ride, with stats for each month, photos and the routes Tommy rode. And thanks to Ned Boulting, whose fantastic book On the Road Bike: The Search For a Nation’s Cycling Soul
I wonder how far he’d have managed if he’d attempted it today, with a carbon fibre bike…
Related articles
- Review: On The Road Bike by Ned Boulting | Helen Pidd (guardian.co.uk)
- On The Road Bike – Ned Boulting | Into The Orchard
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Just found your website.
Your article on Tommy Godwins epic cycling feat, is excellant ! yes he was the greatest endurance cyclist in history, he was also a wonderful father and husband. Thank you for your kind comments.
Barbara Ford Tommys eldest (and very proud) daughter