Best Memories: Carole Leigh, Scott Davies & Chris Walker

In today’s The Best of Memories Series, we hear from official Carole Leigh who worked at London 2012, Welsh World Tour pro Scott Davies & British legend Chris Walker

Best Memories: Carole Leigh, Scott Davies & Chris Walker

Carole Leigh

During a typical season travelling this country from event to event, inevitably I will see Carole who was joint organiser of the Chorley GP as well as Chief Judge at many a major cycling event. Here is a memory from Carole’s time in the sport …

Road Worlds 2019

“When asked what has been my favourite/most memorable moment as an official, it’s a difficult call. I see myself very honoured to have been involved in all events that I have done, be them Youth Circuit races or the Manchester Regional Track League that I’ve organised for the past 21 years.

I have also been fortunate to see riders like Ed Clancy and Ben Swift rise through the sport as well officiate at our National Tours and International races on both Track & Road. But the one event that I will always remember with pride is the 2012 London Olympics. Being appointed as a Technical Officer was like it was for the riders competing.

It was the pinnacle of my “cycling career” and standing as line judge in the Velodrome & on the Mall declaring champions was beyond my dream. I could always relate to how much winning meant to the riders but being so close & playing my part in that result was very emotional at times for me.

My cycling colleagues are my extended family and I miss them all during these unprecedented times but I’m sure we will all work together to ensure that Covid19 doesn’t get the better of our sport that we all have such a passion for and in the later months of the year, we can hopefully get back to some form of normality.
Carole …

Scott Davies (World Tour Pro)

A young Welsh rider I have seen rise up through the ranks and into World Tour teams is Scott Davies. Here are his favourite memories so far from a young career in the sport
“The 2014 Commonwealth Games (Glasgow) is one of my best memories from my career so far. It was my first year in the senior ranks, a good experience and it was great to see Geraint (Thomas) come away with the win in the Road Race.

The Under 23 Time Trial titles are also good moments when I reflect. The first one was very unexpected, and it was a great feeling to be able to defend the jersey during my time as an U23. The 2017 Giro is another good memory. The beginning of the 2017 season hadn’t gone to plan due to illness, and that made the result at the Baby Giro all the more rewarding”.

“Lastly, finishing the 2019 Giro and my first Grand Tour was a special moment. It was unchartered territory for me, but a very special feeling to reach the finish line in Verona.”
Scott

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Chris Walker (British Legend. End of)

Chris Walker, father to Joey and Jessie (both talented racers) won races in Britain and Europe, inspired champions of today and is now helping the champions of tomorrow. We did an interview with Chris way back in 2012 – https://www.velouk.net/2012/05/05/talkingshop-milk-race-winner-chris-walker/

Asked about his favourite memory (and he has plenty!), this is one he picked out … “I’d have to say that the best memory I have would be meeting Gino Bartali (above) at the 1991 Settimana Ciclista Bergamasca. I went to Italy as an 18 year old first year senior and I can remember seeing an article about all the good that he had done by saving hundreds of Jews in the war and how he had kept it all to himself. It was amazing to get to meet him after the stages and I managed to explain in my pigeon Italian that I lived in Tuscany where he was from when I was younger. He was a real racing fan after all those years and I found it unbelievable that this amazing war hero was making such a fuss of me for winning a few bike races. He was quoted in the paper as saying that I had the nose of a Champion, what he meant was that I’ve got a big nose like him!”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27333310