ROGER TRAVERS – 6th December 1940 to 25th November 2024
Roger was a life-long cyclist who was a very good time trialist and he was particularly strong at the longer distances – 50 and 100 miles and 12 hours. No doubt Roger’s ride of 15 miles each way from his home for many years on the Isle of Sheppey to Chatham Dockyard and back and very long rides with his close friend Doug Laidlow helped him to gain his high level of fitness and stamina.
Roger first cycled with the Canning Town Cycling Club, based on Sheppey, before joining the Wigmore CC in 1966. A few years later, from 1970 onwards, the Wigmore began a remarkable period of success in Kent cycling and further afield around the south east, winning many individual and team awards, with Roger often the leader of the winning team.
Roger also enjoyed many individual successes, particularly over the longer distances. He was the winner of the San Fairy Ann ’50’ in 1970 (2-04-37), and the Classic Brentwood Road Club ’50’ in Essex in 1975, with a time of well under two hours (1-58-37).
In 1976 Roger won the Kent Cycling Association 100 miles time trial in 1976 with a time of four hours and seventeen minutes (4-17-10). Roger also completed the Kent Cycling Association 12 Hours time trial on seven occasions and his best distance in this event was 244 miles for fourth place in 1973 (244.645m).
Roger won many Wigmore club trophies over the years. He was club best-all-rounder four times, 25 miles champion four times, 50 miles champion seven times, 100 miles champion nine times and 12 hours champion five times.
He was also the winner of the annual club events series three times. He may have been trying to win this series one evening in the 1970s when he was riding an evening club event on Sheppey Way. Events on this course always carried the risk of having to be abandoned if the Kingsferry lifting bridge went up to allow a ship to pass. On this occasion Roger approached the bridge at speed and its lights were flashing indicating he had to stop as the bridge was about to go up. But he carried on anyway and although he was able to ride onto the bridge, by the time he reached the other side he was quite a few feet up in the air!
Roger did some great rides in time trials but he didn’t ever take it too seriously or forget the fun of it all.
After Roger retired from racing in the 1980s he and his partner Jean carried on cycling regularly, but at a more leisurely pace. They also joined the weekly Wednesday Wobblers Group that meets for lunch at a different pub each week. The Wigmore CC, the Kent Cycling Association and the Kent Veterans Time Trials Association all owe Roger and Jean a huge debt of gratitude for the very many times each season they marshalled in time trials in Kent, over a period of many years.
We offer our deepest condolences to Jean, and to all family and friends.
Clin Maisey