Veteran Leaguer - LVRC

Book reviews
By Dick Selley
Shay Elliott The life and death of
Ireland’s first yellow jersey
By Graham Healy with Richard Allchin
ISBN 978-1-874739-59-3
Shay started cycling in 1947 and
developed into a very good rider, good
enough to move to France in 1955 and
initiate the well known English speaking
succession at ACBB, the premier Parisian
club. They knew they had an exceptional
talent in Shay which he proved by
becoming “Best Amateur in France”, this
was always considered the stepping
stone to a pro contract.
In my first club, the South Eastern Road
Club, the club’s ace Mick Twitchett rode
a Helyett cycle and it was a beautiful
bike. Shay joined Jacques Anquetil and
Andre Darrigade in Helyett colours, he
was taken on as a strong workhorse and
basically that defined his career.
He was generous in his efforts for
his team but lacked the selfish gene of
riders such as Tom Simpson and Jean
Stablinski.
His ability to “read a race” and do what
ever was necessary without instruction
from others meant that he was often in
a the kill and his palmares reflect this
with seven wins in his debut season, a
pretty good start which also included
14th in the Worlds.
A decade in the pro peloton rewarded
Shay handsomely, but he was too
trusting. Time after time he was let
down by his “friends”, in racing, when
Stablinski effectively bought the Worlds,
which should have been Shay’s(2nd),
in love and business when their hotel
venture foundered. There were some
loyal friends such as Peter and Mary
Crinnion thank goodness.
the Manx Trophy twice and countless
criteriums. I remember seeing him in the
Crystal Palace race when he, Tom and
Alan Ramsbottom gave a masterclass in
racing to the British pros (1964).
The chapter at the end of the book
about Shay’s death makes sad reading
but the whole book is fascinating, the
authors have done a great job researching
his career and we must applaud this
trailblazer, who with Brian Robinson
showed what could be achieved “over
there” and led to the current situation
with Bradley, Mark and the Sky boys
enthralling us all this season.
This book is available from Sport
and Publicity but make sure you find
out about the illustrations, I had to put
these in myself, however, this was an
interesting challenge.
Dick Selley
“Racing through the Dark” The fall
and rise of David Millar. By David
Millar
We have all watched David Millar’s
career since he turned pro in 1997, since
when he has often been in the news.
However news articles only show part
of his story.
Chris Gunter gave me a copy of his
book and said he “couldn’t put it down”,
I agree Chris, it is a fascinating read
which I commend to you all. He may
win a second copy of the book as I have
decided to give one to each category
winner in the “Andy Hardy Memorial
Race” at Towcester this Sunday.
David’s early life was, to say the least,
varied and challenging, and his career
path following his talent and his love
of the sport took him to the almost
inevitable question “to dope or not to
dope?”. We all know what happened, but
by reading his book we will discover why
it happened and how he dealt with it.
He soon realised that within the pro
ranks, “Omerta” was the rule, this was a
subject not to be discussed in public,
and even worse, riders and management
were telling lies about the situation and
had been for decades.
After his fall from grace and having
been caught, he confessed and served
his 2 year ban.
David’s saviour was and is Jonathan
Vaughters and his Garmin Slipstream
team.
His salvation has been his willingness,
and his need, to confess to his mistakes,
and to broadcast his experiences for
present and future riders to learn from.
All this is the direct opposite of most
athletes who deny, deny, deny until the
very end when they reluctantly admit
to their involvement (Virenque, Landis,
Hamilton et al).
There are interesting passages
detailing his friendships with David
Brailsford and Mark Cavendish.
Late in the book there is a short chapter
on David’s participation in the 2007 Tour
and the epic stage to Canterbury where
he took the KOM jersey. Imagining that
there may have been a young person
watching the race who may aspire to
become a pro racer, David closes by
saying “I’ll do my best to make sure he
never has to experience what I went
through to get there”.
As a logical follow up to all this David
challenged Lance Armstrong to join him
in the fight to clean up cycling. Lance
did not respond as David had hoped he
would and he thinks that it may have
been the beginning of the end of their
friendship!!!!
The book concludes with his gold
medal TT at the Commonwealth Games
in Delhi, graphically illustrating the pain
and suffering top riders go through to
achieve their goals.
He realises that he has earned his
“second chance” success and ultimately,
also, REDEMPTION.
“Racing through the Dark” is published
by Orion Books ISBN 978 1 4091 1494 9
Retirement when it came was sad,
he left France having lost his fortune
with one small suitcase, much as he had
arrived a decade earlier.
Shay had left his mark on the
continental cycling scene winning
Het Volk, stages in all the Grand Tours
including two or three days in yellow, to explain how he became a doper,
Dick Selley
Page 20 The Veteran Leaguer: Autumn 2011