A prominent member of the cycling community has paid tribute to Albert White, who died last Friday aged 85.
Ged McCarten was a teammate of Albert’s with the Derwent Valley Wheelers during their peak years of the 1950s and 1960s.
He says: “Winning team gold in the Road Time Trial Council (RTTC) National 50 miles Championship in 1961 was undoubtedly Albert’s greatest achievement during his two decades of competitive cycling.
“Racing against 120 of the best racing cyclists in Britain, Albert was a member of the strong Derwent Valley Wheelers team that were not ever given a thought by the cycling pundits for the team award.
“But on wet Yorkshire roads, the intrepid trio of Mike Cowley (1hr 59mins 19secs) Jack Murray (2-04-14) and Albert (2-05-08) swept to team gold by a margin of 1 minute 30 seconds over the race favourites Calder Clarion of Yorkshire.
“Heading the Calder team was race winner Barry Hoban who would become the British rider with most stage wins in the Tour de France until a certain Mike Cavendish came along.
“From the old Derwent Valley Wheelers rest in peace Albert, you were a great teammate.”
During his peak years racing with the Derwent Valley Wheelers, Albert regularly went on training spins to Morecambe and back to his home in Harrington.
In 1970 the Derwent Valley Wheelers was on the verge of going under with just a handful of active members. The same was true of Solway CC (Whitehaven) and Maryport CC.
At a meeting in Workington, the remaining active members agreed to merge the three clubs to form Velo Club Cumbria.
All three clubs were cemented into the VCC constitution and from humble beginnings is now the largest and most successful clubs in the Northwest Region.
Ged was press officer until 2000 and is a life member of VCC. He also founded the junior cycling club based at Rowrah Kart circuit, Lakeland Sprinter which has around 50 members.
Albert’s funeral is on Wednesday, March 9 at St. Mary’s, Westfield (1pm).
