Billy Bilsland

Glasgow carpenter Billy Bilsland was the first great Scottish international cyclist until the arrival of Robert Millar (now Phillipa York), who Bilsland mentored in his early days. Bilsland, like Millar, was a member of Glasgow Wheelers, and went on to win the Tour of Scotland, Scottish road race and 25-mile time trial titles several times. In 1968 he won the 13th stage of the Tour of Britain Milk Race, and the following year won a stage in the prestigious Tour de l’Avenir in France.

In one if his first tastes of riding abroad, Bilsland led the 1965 Tour of Czechoslovakia for almost a week before a puncture on the last day saw him relegated to sixth overall. The following year he enjoyed a top ten finish in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games at Kingston, Jamaica. Bilsland won a stage in the 1967 Peace Race (Britain´s first since 1958) but, unfortunately, due to more puncture problems, he did not finish the 1968 Mexico Olympic road race.

Bilsland turned professional in 1970 and in a five-year career in the paid ranks, with TI-Raleigh and Peugeot-BP-Michelin, he managed two podium finishes in the British Professional Road Race Championships; in 1973 (third) and 1974, when he was second to Keith Lambert. Bilsland continued racing abroad until 1975 when he returned to Scotland to take up coaching at his former Glasgow club and was responsible for the careers of many junior cyclists. Bilsland later managed the Carlton team, as well as the Scottish national squad.

Bilsland’s younger brother Ian was also a member of Glasgow Wheelers and twice took part in the Milk Race, and competed in the 1970 British Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh. Bisland opened his first cycle shop in Glasgow in 1980 and more than ten years later opened a second one at nearby Cumbernauld.