A friend of mine, Adam Gatewood, sent me a couple links to YouTube videos on the 1982 British Milk Race. It was kind of strange because I had just seen the finish banner from the final stage in Blackpool, in my basement, that Andy Hampsten and I stole, in a drucken state, in the wee hours of the night after the final stage. And, I was thinking about Alexi and his comeback and our experiences there.

I’ve ridden the British Milk race twice. The first time in 1983. Then again in 1985. The British Milk race was probably the most prestigious amateur stage race in the World at the time. It was pretty hard. This was the first time I’d met Phil Liggett. This was before he was an announcer. He was a race promoter. And a bike race enthusiast.

The first time I rode the race I was on a team with lots of good riders. Andy Hampsten, Alexi Grewal, Chris Carmichael, Matt Eaton, Steve Speaks and myself made up the United States National Team in 1983. In 1985, it was Roy Knickman, Jeff Pierce, Andy Paulin, Ranjeet Grewal, Tom Resh, and myself.

The race is famous for very steep climbs. Short steep climbs. 1 in 4. 1 in 3. Steep. The gearing in those days wasn’t what we have now. I think it was maybe 6 cogs in the rear. But, it might have been only 5. So, when you’re riding up a 25% grade in a 23 in the back, maybe a 42 x 25, then it is pretty difficult.

The race was dominated for years by riders from the Eastern Block. The USSR guys won the race for awhile. Many of those guys would of given Hinault and Co. a run for their money at the Tour in those years, if they would have been given a chance. Greg Lemond could barely man handle them at the Coor’s Classic when they came to play.

I have millions of stories from my time in England. I could do a month of posts on them.

One that comes to mind was one of Alexi’s shining moments. The British “Pros” had a hit squad at the race. All the best British riders on one team, lead by Malcolm Elliot. Anyway, there was this guy, Steve Jones, who was pretty arrogant at the time. (I’m sure he’s a nice guy by now.) We were climbing one of the steep hills, up by Wales, and he and Alexi somehow got into a yelling match.

I was all the way across the road, but since we were climbing so slow, there wasn’t much wind noise. The spat finally got down to something about “fucking Americans”. Finally, after a few back and forth exchances, Steve Jones calls Alexi a “sand nigger”. I couldn’t believe it. But, Alexi took it in stride and immediately responded something to the effect of “you should be thanking us. Without us, you’d all be Fuckin’ Nazis.”

I think Jones might of taken an ineffective swing at Alexi, but Matt Eaton, who was on my side of the road, but farther back, had already thrown a full water bottle that hit Steve Jones squarely on the side of his head. It was funnier than shit.

Matt Eaton went on to win the race. It was the biggest stage race victory of any American up until that time.

I wore the leaders jersey and had the sprint jersey cut off my body after hitting a stopped car at 100kph.

In the leader's jersey in '85 before crashing.

Photo of the car Andy Paulin and I destroyed at 60 mph.

Sorry Phil, bet you wondered where that banner went.

Matt Eaton.

If you have some extra time sometime, here is some old Milk Race footage. This is only Part 1 from 1982. You can click on Youtube and see Part 2 if you’re a glutton for punishment.

USAC just released this. These guys are idiots. Complete idiots. (And Nick, feel free to detail on all the examples you have of when a radio saved you from being in “imminent danger” during a bicycle race on the comment section below.)

Race Radios to be permitted again in NRC competition

(USA Cycling Press Release)

(March 11, 2011) — After gathering input from U.S. teams, riders, organizers, officials and other stakeholders, USA Cycling has determined that teams will be allowed to once again use race radios in National Racing Calendar (NRC) competition and at the USA Cycling professional and elite road national championship events.

Following international precedent in 2010, USA Cycling banned the use of race radios in national-level events with subsequent plans for evaluation on all aspects of that decision at the end of the year. After review, the U.S. Professional Racing Organization board of trustees recommended lifting the radio ban.

“As we approached the 12 month anniversary of the radio ban in domestic races, we listened to input from the various affected stakeholders including officials, race directors, team directors and riders,” said USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson. “In the process, we considered all of the categories of the racing environment that are impacted by radios including rider and spectator safety, caravan and peloton management and team/rider communication, frankly, radios won on every count.”

“The vast majority of athletes, teams and event managers agree that safety cannot be compromised, and that progressive sports use more communications technology, not less,” stated Bob Stapleton, owner of HTC-Highroad professional cycling team and USA Cycling board of directors USPRO representative. “The goal is to make cycling both safe and exciting and to ultimately bring the audience further into the action.”

“The decision was made because we believe race radios bring a unique level of strategy that is good for cycling, provide for innovation opportunities with our broadcast partners, and gives everyone in the peloton an additional safety measure,” stated USA Cycling board of directors President and USPRO representative Bill Peterson. “We have spent considerable time discussing this issue with many experienced racers, team managers, and race organizers; we have yet to find anyone make a convincing case to eliminate race radios. Therefore we are allowing radios within the races we control, and I suspect many countries around the world will follow our lead.”

“We’ve based our decision on several factors including the nature of racing in the United States and the inherent safety and liability issues that we feel are extremely important,” explained professional cyclist and U.S.P.R.O. board of trustees athlete representative Nick Reistad. “In my own cycling career, I can detail examples where race radios were critical in relaying information regarding safety hazards, including emergency vehicles traveling backwards on the course, which could have put my life, and the lives of those racing with me, in imminent danger.”

The first 2011 NRC event, the Redlands Bicycle Classic will take place March 31 – April 3.

The drink of choice for USAC board meetings-cheap Champagne.