Peter Longbottom

The son of cycling parents, Longbottom started cycling from an early age and made his international debut in the 1977 junior World road race and team time trial championships. After success at junior level Longbottom’s first year as senior saw him win his first of forty four medals at national championships. Longbottom considered professionalism early in his career when, in 1982 he spent a season with the ACBB. A string of top five placing in the French amateur classics led to an offer from the Wolber pro team. However, he turned down the chance of a professional career and returned home.

Despite working full-time as a civil engineer, Longbottom went on to amass an impressive list of honours, including a stage win in the Milk Race in 1989, Commonwealth Games medals and overall victory in the Star Trophy road racing series. In 1990 he held both the national 25-mile and 50-mile record. At the age of 33, he finally made it to the Olympics, becoming one of the oldest cyclists to represent Great Britain at the men’s team time-trial in Barcelona. Longbottom retired from racing in October 1996 but remained closely involved with the sport as a team manager and coach until he died in a road accident whilst cycling.