John Geddes

Liverpool plumber John Geddes went to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics having impressed with a third place in both the National Pursuit Championships and Pursuit Championship in Denmark. At the Olympics he came away with another bronze medal as a member of the Great Britain team pursuit squad.

Geddes served his National Service from 1957 until September 1959 and rode with the Army Cycle Union. It did not stop him enjoying a successful season in 1957 when he won the coveted Manchester Wheelers Muratti Gold Cup and the Viking Trophy on the Isle of Man. He was again third in the National 4000 metres individual pursuit. Further success followed the following year when Geddes was the British 10 miles champion and, as part of the Melling Wheelers quartet they beat Clarence Wheelers in the final of the British National Team Pursuit Championship.

Geddes turned professional in May 1959 and in his first week in the paid ranks, he beat the 1957 world champion Carlo Simonigh of Italy in a pursuit race at Herne Hill, London. Geddes then went on to finish second in the Tour of Britain (Milk Race), although he did win the points classification. He came third at his first attempt at winning the British Professional Road Race Championship. Geddes eventually won the British professional pursuit title in 1961, and in 1962 had a memorable win in the Circuit des Ardennes in France. As of early2024 he remained the only Briton to win the race.

Geddes ended his professional cycling career in 1964 and opened his first shop, John Geddes Cycles at Widnes, Cheshire, in 1978. Shortly afterwards he opened a second one at nearby Whiston. He provided a service to both amateur and professional cyclists.