Arthur Metcalfe 1938-2002
Arthur Metcalfe was one of the leading British racing cyclists of the 1960s and early 1970s.
He set a unique record by winning both the National Road Race Championships and the time-trialling British Best All-Rounder Competition in the same year. The 1966 record has stood the test of time and in the 30 years since no one has come close to equalling Metcalfe’s double. Born in Leeds the young Arthur moved to Hartlepool with his family at age 14.
His father was a keen touring cyclist and encouraged his three sons to explore the cycling routes in North Yorkshire and the North East. During National Service between 1957 and 1959 Metcalfe was posted to Cyprus where he worked as a Military Policeman. Returning to his birth city of Leeds Arthur resumed his cycling career and joined Leeds St Christopher’s Cycling Club.
A formidable athlete and renowned hard man Metcalfe was physically tough and tactically astute. He set himself a rigorous training regime, which helped him achieve enormous success. No gloves in the depths of winter were one of his trademarks, with no understanding of the pain and discomfort other riders suffered in the cold and wet.
His training and dedication began to pay off in 1964 when he won the overall prize in the Tour of Britain Milk Race despite strong opposition from the all powerful Spanish team. He repeated that success in 1965 securing victory by attacking the whole field on the North of England stage and riding away from the peloton up the notorious 1-4 climb of Rosedale Chimney.
He was a true all-rounder and his abilities as a climber, sprinter and time–trialist made him a formidable stage race rider.
The cycling journalist John Wilcockson wrote about Metcalfe in 1968 saying “a first year professional, he is a brilliant and versatile product of British club cycling, Tour de France rider with wins in the Tour of Britain and Manx International he promises much for the future”
Stories abound about Arthur Metcalfe’s road racing success, but his character can probably be best assessed by his participation in the 1965 Manx International Road Race. Not selected for a team Arthur rode from Leeds to Liverpool to catch the Isle of Man ferry. Carrying a back pack and spare wheels and without money for accommodation, he spent the night before the race in a telephone box. Metcalfe dominated the Manx race and rode home to Leeds the victor, no doubt the bulging brown envelope in his back pocket lightening his load.
1967 saw Metcalfe make the transition from leading British amateur rider to the paid ranks of professionals joining the Carlton Cycles team. His contract with Carlton offered him the chance of two extra mornings training, with the remainder of the working week spent at the Carlton bike factory in Worksop. Metcalfe was selected to ride the 1967 edition of the Tour de France as part of the ill fated British team that included legendary Tom Simpson, Metcalfe finishing a creditable 69th on his debut. The following year he returned to ride the 3 week Grand Tour and surprised the race by launching a lone attack on the stage to Bayonne. He gained an advantage of over three minutes before being swept up by the chasing peloton close to the finish. His efforts that day were rewarded with the combativity prize for most aggressive rider.
The French press loved Metcalfe and the British riders when they discovered they were riding the Tour during their summer holidays. The continental riders were full time pros whilst the British boys mostly had full time jobs and only raced at the weekends.
Arthur would later recall his time riding the ‘greatest bike race in the world’ and tell his riding companions that it wasn’t all glamour. The first 60 miles of each stage were usually taken at a steady pace, with the next 60 plus taken at a pace never experienced by Metcalfe and most of his team mates. The accommodation allocated to the British team was not what modern day Tour riders would expect, with Metcalfe and his comtempories sleeping in hostels and sometimes brothels or whatever accommodation could be found along the route.
Amongst the highlights of Arthur Metcalfe’s cycling career was the award of the Bidlake Memorial Prize in 1966. The Bidlake Trophy is an annual prize awarded for outstanding contribution to the sport of cycling, and Metcalfe was recognised for his Road Race and Time-Trial double National Championships.
A fractured pelvis in 1971 cut short his professional career, but his involvement in the sport continued, he became manager of the TI Raleigh cycling team and continued to ride successfully as a time-trialist. Later he went into business with ex pro rider Wes Mason, and they built the famous MKM bike frames from premises in Harrogate owned by Ron Kitching. A lifelong cyclist Metcalfe was training with the Leeds chain-gang and preparing to ride a season as a 62 year old vet when ill health forced him to retire from competition. He continued to ride as a leisure cyclist, was president of Hartlepool Cycling Club, and spent time with his wife Anne at their holiday home in Le Bourg, France. A true gentleman, Arthur was an extremely popular man in British Cycling, he always had encouraging words for other riders and had the respect of everyone around him. He is greatly missed and fondly remembered.
Arthur died from cancer in Harrogate in December 2002 at the age of 64.
We are grateful to Andrew Kennedy, British Cycling photographer and close friend of Arthur, for providing us with this article and images.
