Derek Harrison

Derek Harrison excelled as a junior cyclist, winning the 1960 Birmingham Divisional Road Race Championship and then finishing second in the national event. He was originally a member of the Saracen Road Club before joining Manchester Wheelers, the home club of world champion track cyclist Reg Harris. Like Harris, Harrison also became an Olympian, taking part in the 1964 Tokyo Games, where he finished 31st in the road race. Also that year, he finished second to Hugh Porter in the national pursuit championship.

A Manchester University engineering student, Harrison gave up his studies to pursue his cycling career and moved to France, where he became one of the country´s leading amateurs. He turned professional in 1967 and took part in the 1968 and 1969 editions of the Tour de France, finishing in 32nd place overall behind winner Eddy Merckx in the second of those year. His best result as a professional was at the 1968 Tour of Switzerland (Tour de Suisse), when he won the King of the Mountains title and finished third in the individual time trial. Harrison´s best result as a professional in the UK was in finishing third as a member of the TI Raleigh team in the 1972 National Professional Road Race Championship behind Gary Crewe and Les West. Harrison died in his adopted home at Provence, France, in 2018.