Dourdoigne, Dugast. Lovely

Monsieur Dugast then of Dourdoigne Boyaux and good family friend Desire Almy.

Back when I was young - a long time ago it now seems, I used to race bicycles. See, I had a life once!

Anyway, the family Ingram, of which I am a member had long time friends who lived in Normandy - that's in France and everything. This French family are lovely and none more so than Desire Almy who must be at least ninety now and used to race bicycles too in his younger days. This lured me over to race in the area riding for a local club there and generally having a good time.

We even got round to visiting the  Dourdoigne Tubulars 'factory' in a garage somewhere near Granville in France. That's French France. There was a outdoor velodrome there too so all my boxes were ticked that day. 

Are you following this? Nothing to do with the island here or photography much - except that I found this snap lurking yesterday and it made me remember 'things' Eh?

Scroll on a few years from the pre-1977 snap above - and I'm in Sheffield trying to do a PhD and I see Dugast tubulars on bikes at the worlds in Manchester Velodrome where, a couple of years later I take up the post of Velodrome coach. We are talking 1999 now! Sir Chris Hoy is merely a boy and just another up and coming sprinter. Victoria Pendleton is still a kid and I'm now importing hand-made Dugast tubulars [special stick on tyres for racing bicycles] and selling them on. It supplemented my grant at the time. Then, when working at the Velodrome I sold a pair of special tubulars to Jason Queally. He went on to win the Olympic gold medal in Sydney. Then I was supplying the GB team at the Velodrome and, Chris Boardman for his hour records. Lovely white or pink treaded tyres made of silk and rubber. Mmmm. Even my Eve won her World Masters title on pink Dugast tubulars - which as it happens are lurking up in the loft as I write. Latterly, Mr Dugast had retired and sold the company to a Dutch chap Richard Nieuwhuis who came over to stay with us in Mossley, Lancs while visiting the Manchester Velodrome for big events. Our lovely Dutch friend Carine - called him a 'talking chair' - I am sure you get the idea.

So, there you are,  a little history all from one snap Eve found while looking through a box!