{"id":10141,"title":"Soviet Invasion","description":"The first of three stories about the 1982 World Cycling Championships which was held at Goodwood. Sleepy Sussex was the stage for a minor invasion of Soviet cyclists and their KGB minders.","content":"

Published in<\/strong>: COBBLES & CLASSICS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

In the first of three stories about the 1982 World Cycling Championships held at Goodwood, we meet the stars of the Soviet Union's all-conquering cycling team and their KGB minders.<\/p>

\"\" All pictures from the <\/em>Mick Searle Collection.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>

It's 1982 and the height of the Cold War. The two opposing sides, West and East, are flirting with nuclear armageddon. Yet sleepy Sussex set the stage for a minor Soviet invasion, hosting riders from behind the \u2018Iron Curtain\u2019 for the UCI World Cycling Championships.<\/p>

The Soviets are coming to Sussex<\/h3>

I\u2019ve no idea how it happened, or even how the news broke, but suddenly the world cycling championships were coming to Chichester or more precisely Goodwood. Home to the world-famous horse racing course, motor racing circuit and Earl of March.<\/p>

In 1982, Great Britain was a cycling backwater - underfunded, under resourced and largely unsuccessful. British riders were sent abroad to races, for the experience, with the expectation that they\u2019d take a hammering from the all-conquering \u2018Iron Curtain\u2019 riders. No marginal gains, no secret training regimes, just 'hand me down' jerseys and \"just do your best, lad\".\u00a0<\/p>

The Colnagos were as battered as their riders' chiselled faces<\/p><\/blockquote>

The only riders whose kit was in a worse state were probably the Soviets and East Germans, who may have ridden Colnagos, but they were as battered as their riders' chiselled faces.<\/p>

\"\" <\/a>Bernard Hinault (centre) on the main climb <\/em><\/strong>Image: <\/em>The Mick Searle Collection<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Das Kapital<\/h3>

As excited as I was to see my cycling heroes Sean Kelly and Bernard Hinault in the flesh, I was fascinated to meet the Soviets. At the time, on my training rides, I liked to imagine that I was one of the freedom-loving, peace-loving, grim-faced Soviet riders. I was not riding for individual glory. I was riding for the glory of the State.\u00a0<\/p>

I did try to read Das Kapital but to be honest, it was short on jokes, and bikes and girls were of more interest.<\/p>

\"\"Soviet riders Tamara Polyakova (left) and Viktor Demidenko (right) <\/em><\/strong>Image: <\/em>The Mick Searle Collection<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Professional amateurs<\/h3>

The Soviet riders were assumed to be full-time racing cyclists. As close to being professionals without ever signing a contract. They were funded by the Soviet state to represent the glory of 'mother Russia' and demonstrate that socialism would always trump capitalism.<\/p>

Locked up, underfed<\/p><\/blockquote>

Stories of the harsh conditions they endured were legendary in the cycling community. Tales of being locked up, underfed to keep their weight down and let out only to train or race.<\/p>

Some had military ranks in the Soviet army. These were considered to be purely nominal titles. Although this theory was questioned after an incident at the Tour of Britain Milk Race.<\/p>

The coach carrying the Soviet team to the event overtook a lorry transporting British military hardware. Immediately the riders became animated, pointing at the missiles and snapping with their cameras. Were the Soviet riders in the UK solely there for racing?<\/p>

Few Soviet cyclists had the opportunity to turn professional. Some were able to with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The most notable was Piotr Ugromov who turned professional in 1989 and enjoyed a ten-year career. He was second in both the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. By then he was riding for the infamous Gewiss-Ballan.<\/p>

Cheap Shite<\/h3>

Riding around the course in the days leading up to the races, I passed the Goodwood grandstand. My eyes were drawn to a huddle of cycling clubmen that stood outside. They were surrounding the back of a rather tired-looking black, grubby, archaic van. The reason for their interest soon became clear.<\/p>

Ill-fitting and shabby off-red USSR tracksuit<\/p><\/blockquote>

A man in an ill-fitting and shabby off-red USSR tracksuit was clutching a bundle of tubular cycling tyres. Through broken English, he praised their Soviet robustness. The knot of cyclists muttered. \"They're shite\", said one. \"Yup, but they're cheap shite. I'll have a pair mate.\" More merchandise was offered. Soviet badges, clothing and more. \"They'd sell the shirt off their back\" pronounced one potential customer.<\/p>

The silence became awkward<\/p><\/blockquote>

I stepped forward, and in my most pleasant-sounding voice and straining to speak as clearly as possible, I declared \"Welcome to sunny England\". Silence. My beaming smile elicited no response. I tried again. \"Do you like it here in our beautiful county of West Sussex?\" The silence became awkward. I sensed nervousness amongst the Soviets.<\/p>

Before I could say more, a thickset man in a bulging black leather jacket stepped forward. Heavy with accent, he affirmed, \"We go now\". This was not a man you disagreed with. He knew it. We knew it. His riders knew it.\u00a0<\/p>

In a haste, the van and temporary shop were closed. After some pushing by the Soviet riders, they were off in a plume of black smoke belching from the exhaust. The van uncertainly hiccuped its way up the slight rise before gratefully coasting down toward Chichester.<\/p>

Hard cash<\/h3>

The reason for the Soviets 'sale of the century' became clear as I ventured into Chichester later that afternoon. Outside Morant's department store, later Army and Navy, later House of Fraser, later bankrupt, I found numerous Czechoslovakian riders. In full team kit, they sat astride their bikes. Across the top tubes of their bikes were as many pairs of jeans as they could possibly carry. They smiled at me.<\/p>

Like the Soviets and all the \u2018Iron Curtain\u2019 riders, they'd sell whatever they could to lay their hands on hard cash. As soon as they had it, it was spent on items that could be taken back and sold for a large profit in their home country.<\/p>

More than a controversial race\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>

When you see articles about the 1982 World Championships today, people always recall the controversy of Greg Lemond chasing down his teammate Jonathan Boyer, as you can read in a future story. But this isn\u2019t how I remember the event. My memory of the 1982 world championships was seeing my cycling heroes from the USSR, here on my doorstep.<\/p>

Tim Costello, 9 Apr 2021.<\/p>

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You Might Like<\/h3>

In part two, we report on a rare British cycling victory and socialist love. Read more<\/a> ...<\/p>

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