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Bo'ness Cycling Legend

by Derek Smillie 9 Feb 2010
  • catch me if you can
  • team time trial
  • as a boy
  • a stage of the Milk Race
  • Isle of Man
  • Isle of Man

Jim Smellie... ever heard of him?

Probably not but maybe if he was a football player or golfer he would be a local hero but as it is he is a relatively quiet man but who has a long history in Scottish cycling.

Jim Smellie now 64 was in his day 11 times Scottish Cycling Champion in time trial, team time trial and represented Scotland in various races of the day including the Milk Race series to name but a few.

He raced against many big European names in British events held up and down the country and could have gone on to bigger and better things if circumstances had been different.

I am in the process of correlating all the old clippings, photos and medals that he has tucked away in a bag in a cupboard for no-one to see. There are also a couple of trophies in the Kinneil Museum from past races.

He has one trophy relating to the Bo'ness Hill Climb event which went up the Croyett as the cars used to do and he was the last cyclist to win the trophy before this sprint race became another past time resigned to the history books.

This is just a wee taster of what is to come as I have so much to write and I think that this will be the first instalment of many.

Thanks

Derek Smillie

 


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