The career of Beryl Burton, prolific world and British national champion, is to be the subject of a full-length biography by best-selling author William Fotheringham
Books: Times and Life of Beryl Burton
The Greatest: the Times and Life of Beryl Burton by William Fotheringham
The career of Beryl Burton, prolific world and British national champion, is to be the subject of a full-length biography for the first time when best-selling author William Fotheringham tells the story of the Yorkshire star’s life next year in the latest in his series of biographies of cycling’s most legendary figures.
The Greatest: the Times and Life of Beryl Burton will be published in September 2019 to coincide with the world road race championships in Burton’s native Yorkshire, and will be linked to the Yorkshire based Dave Rayner fund, with £1 per copy sold going to the charity which provides bursaries to help fund young British cyclists racing in Europe.
“Burton has been described as Britain’s greatest ever cyclist,” said Fotheringham, “Her career was unique in the same way that Eddy Merckx’s was, for her longevity and her insatiable appetite for victory. She won world championship medals over three decades and she dominated women’s racing in the UK for the best part of 30 years.”
… continued after advert
Burton won 15 world championship medals, including gold medals in the road race in 1960 and 1967, and the individual pursuit title in 1959, 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1966. She racked up a total of 96 national championship gold medals in time trialling, road racing and the pursuit between 1957 and 1986, and was crowned British Best All Rounder for 25 consecutive seasons. She died at the age of 59.
“My personal belief is that Burton has been cruelly overlooked, and I would like to be among those who have the chance to put that right,” said Fotheringham. “She suffered in two ways. One was that she was so dominant that her victories were taken for granted for about 20 years. The other was that she was denied the chance to gain the recognition that she craved because women’s cycling remained in the Dark Ages for so long. She had no chance to race at the Olympic Games, and there were only two disciplines to contest at the world championships.”
Fotheringham’s best-selling biographies have thus far told the stories of four of cycling’s greatest male champions: Tom Simpson, Fausto Coppi, Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx, and he also collaborated with Lizzie Deignan, like Burton a Yorkshire world road race champion, on her 2017 autobiography, Steadfast. He has been the Guardian’s lead cycling writer since 1994.
Pre-orders will be taken for The Greatest: the Times and Life of Beryl Burton from spring 2019.
https://www.facebook.com/The-Greatest-the-Times-and-Life-of-Beryl-Burton-325107021638629/
Cycle Division’s Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- RR Result: East Cleveland Classic
- Features, Reports, Results
- Crit Result: Thruxton Tuesday Series 2
- Crit Result: CDPP Sport Crit Series 1
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Series 1
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 4
- Crit Result: Rowe & King Maindy 1
- Q&A: Charlie Abraham (Lee Valley Youth Junior Cycling Team)
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Youth Result: Isle of Man Youth League
- Youth Result: Lawford Youth Series (Curborough) #2
- Crit Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series #2
- Crit Result: Ride Flux Spring Crit series #2
- Youth Result: Maindy Flyers Freewheel League 1
- Ribble Collective: Ride More in ’24
- Crit Result: Tameside Cycling Development Circuit Races 1
- Crit Result: 2024 West Thames League 1
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- TT Result: VTTA Surrey/Sussex 10 mile TT
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- TTT Result: Scorton TTT
- TT Result: Manchester & District TTA 25m TT
- TT Result: Stowmarket & District CC 15m TT
- TT Result: Paceline RT Sporting TT
- TT Result: Hereford & District Wheelers 25m TT
- RR Result: Yorkshire RRL #1
- Crit Result: Scottish Student Cycling Criterium Championships
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- TT Result: Blaydon CC Two Up TT
- TT Result: Kent CA 10m TT
- TT Result: Wessex RC 24m TT
- TT Result: Easterley RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Cranbrook CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Penzance Wheelers 12.5m TT
- TT Result: Fife Century RC 25m TT
- TT Result: Bramley Wheelers 10m TT
- TT Result: Mid Shropshire Wheelers 25m TT
- Youth Result: Hog Hill GP (National Youth Series)
- RR Result: Velo Club Venta Spring Road Race
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Crit Result: Ennerdale Season Openers 2
- RR Result: NCRA Handicap RR (week 5)
Other News on VeloUK
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Ribble Collective: Ride More in ’24
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Startlist: PB Performance Espoirs Road Race
- East Cleveland Classic: Saint Piran Team
- News: New kit for Ribble Rebellion Riders
- Events: Halesowen Friday Track Nights
- Team News: Ribble Rebellion off to the USA
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (March)
- Rider News: Winning start for Billy Ladle
- News: CiCLE Classic 2024
- Startlist: Stars of the SW Men’s U23 RR
- Startlist: Danum Trophy 2024 (Nat B)
- Startlists: London Dynamo Road Races
- Startlist: La Fleche Waltonne Road Races (BMCR)
- Meet Ribble HoloRider
- Startlists: East Cleveland Classic 2024
- Former Winners: Lincoln Grand Prix
- Chris Lawless Joins Saint Piran Team
- Paracycling Track Worlds Day 4
- Para CyclingWorlds Final Day
- Startlist: National Youth Circuit Series Rd 1
- Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic
- Startlists: RCR Fat Creations Road Races
- Startlist: Capernwray Road Race (March 31)
- Team Report: Fensham Howes MAS Design Junior Team
- Team Report: CiCLE Classic Junior Men
- RIDER REPORTS – Zoe Parker (Solihull CC)
- GB News: Two World Titles for GB at Para Worlds
- Team News: Alba Development Road Team
- News: British Road Champs Return to NE
- THIS WEEKEND: Peaks Two Day is Back!
- News: Laura Kenny Retires
- Team News: Lee Valley Youth Cycling Team
- 2024/25 CYCLO-CROSS CALENDAR
- Startlist: Cardiff Ajax CC 10 Mile TT
- Startlists: 16th Gifford Road Races (Scotland)