Roy Cromack

Roy Cromack (b. Doncaster, England, 18 February 1940) was a racing cyclist who represented Britain in track races and in international road races such as the Peace Race. He was the first British cyclist to ride more than 500 miles in a 24-hour time trial.

500 miles

Cromack rode 507 miles in the Road Time Trials Council national 24-hour championship in July 1969. It was his first ride at the distance and the first time the record had been broken. He beat the second rider, Eric Matthews, by 15 miles. [First to 500!, Cycling, 2 August 1969]

Cromack was a rare all-rounder, winning championship medals from 4,000 metres on the track to 24 hours on the road. He won medals at every distance offered in British time-trialling championships and rode the road race for Britain at the Olympic Games in Mexico.

His entry in the "Golden Book of Cycling" says:

"Roy Cromack's name will always be linked with the figure 507 in time trial folk-lore and this could have the effect, as legends in the making sometimes do, of misleading future generations to assume that he was a specialist long-distance rider. In fact he was one of the few really great all-rounders of all time who won medals at disciplines ranging from 4,000 metres on the track to all the RTTC standard distance national championships: 25 miles to 24 hours."

The 24-hour record stood for more than 20 years. On the anniversary, Cromack said:

The record stood for 28 years.

References