Verulam Cycling Club ‘in great shape’ as members celebrate 90th birthday
Verulam Cycling Club prior to their 90th anniversary club run, with 11-year-old Beth Watson and 82-year-old Bill Sibley, the youngest and oldest regular club run riders, at the front. Picture: THEODORE TEMPLETON - Credit: Archant
Verulam Cycling Club is ‘in great shape’ as they celebrate their 90th anniversary.
The St Albans-based club was founded in 1927 and is one of the oldest and most active cycling clubs in Hertfordshire.
And they celebrated the occasion by taking over 100 club members on a Sunday club run to Ware, before celebrating with a BBQ at Townsend Sports Club.
Verulam chairman Doug Driscoll said: “I’m delighted to see the club going from strength-to-strength.
“There has been an unprecedented uptake in cycling over recent years and our membership now exceeds 500 riders in this 90th anniversary year.
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“We launched two fantastic new initiatives in 2017. We have further development of the youth development programme, thanks to National Lottery funding, and also launched Verulam ReallyMoving Racing Team which is winning races most weeks, bringing prestige to the club and in particular, inspiring our younger members.
“We look to the future with the club in great shape.”
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Bill Sibley, who at 82 is the oldest member still regularly attending the Sunday club runs, recalled how in the early days of VCC, cycle racing was very different from today.
“In the 1940s and 1950s events would start at the crack of dawn and riders would dress in black from head-to-toe for them to be less conspicuous,” he said.
“It’s far cry from the colourful lycra-clad riders and the family-friendly, well-supported events like the Redbourn Fete du Velo that we put on these days.”
The racing team’s road season may be winding down but there was further success this week with Jared Millar taking second overall in the John & Dulcie Walker Memorial Road Race at Little Milton in Oxfordshire.
The club’s riders participate in the sport of cycling across a wide range of disciplines, ability levels and ages, with well-supported womens and youth groups, and is renowned for being well-organised and welcoming to new members.
For more information on the club, and its racing team, visit www.verulamcc.org.uk
