Alan "Pete" Angus (1912–1988) was an Australian

racing cyclist Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling spo ...

Australian professional cycling career

The highlight of Angus's cycling career was twice winning the Australian national road race title, in 1936 and 1937, by winning the Blue Riband for the fastest time in the Warrnambool to Melbourne Classic. The popularity of the Warrnambool was such that the handicap for a rider is a measure of the cyclists standing at the time, with the scratch mark being referred to as the "mark of honour". Angus had a handicap of 36 minutes in 1930, where he finished 131st in a time of 10h 21' 25" and 31 minutes in 1931. From 1933 to the end of his career Angus was riding off scratch in the Warrnambool. In 1933 he could only finish 131st in a time of 7h 00' 00". In 1935 Angus lost 4 minutes due to a puncture and finished 140th. After winning in 1937 Angus announced that he intended to retire unless he was selected to ride in the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...

. As it transpired, neither eventuated however he didn't ride in the Warrnambool in 1938, missing several months of racing following an accident. In 1939 Angus was attempting to breakaway from his scratch markers when he pulled his foot out of the pedal strap, injured a tendon and was forced to slow down. Angus tasted early success in 1930 finishing 3rd in the Holland 50, a race with a handicap of 13 minutes. In 1931 he followed this up with 3rd in the Melbourne to Bendigo race over . Angus was a regular rider in the arduous Tour of Gippsland. He had a handicap of 24 minutes in 1930 but was unplaced, seventh in 1931 on a handicap of 26.5 min, won in 1933 off a handicap of 14 minutes, 2nd fastest time in 1936 riding off scratch in 1936, 2nd fastest time again in 1937 and fastest time in 1939. There was no Warrnambool in 1934 as the promoter, the Dunlop-Pedriau Rubber Co, had organised the

Centenary 1000 The Centenary 1000 cycling race was a one-week Road bicycle racing, road bicycle race over seven stages covering . The race was run in 1934 as part of the celebrations of the Centenary of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. The race was originally ...

, a one-week race over seven stages covering . Angus was one of the 30 "A Grade" riders starting from scratch. He rode strongly in a difficult race and while he didn't finish in the top 3 on any stage, his consistency saw him finish in 6th place. Finishing the race was an achievement in itself, with many top riders unable to do so, including

Hubert Opperman Sir Hubert Ferdinand Opperman, Order of the British Empire, OBE (29 May 1904 – 18 April 1996), referred to as Oppy by Australian and French crowds, was an Australian cyclist and politician, whose endurance cycling feats in the 1920s and 1930s ...

Ern Milliken Ernest Milliken (1910 – 1992) was an Australian Road bicycle racing, Road racing cyclist who performed strongly in distance races and individual time trials. Career highlights ;1931 :Fastest Melbourne to Colac in world record time for : ...

, Hefty Stuart and

Ossie Nicholson Oserick Bernard "Ossie" Nicholson (1910 – 9 November 1965) was an Australian cyclist who twice held the World Endurance record for distance in a calendar year. Australian cycling career Nicholson was a professional cyclist in the years be ...

. The difficulties included a blizzard on the fifth stage, causing the stage to be interrupted overnight at Mt Buffalo. Another race at which Angus performed well was the Barnet Glass Grand Prix. Angus was 4th in 1933 when the race was run from Melbourne to Ballarat and return, covering . In 1934 he finished 2nd and fastest time over the new route of from Melbourne to Preston via Marysville,

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Alston, Cumbria also claims this, but lacks a regu ...

and

Alexandra Alexandra () is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander (, ). Etymology, Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; genitive, GEN , ; ...

End of career

Angus joined the

Second Australian Imperial Force The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF, or Second AIF) was the volunteer expeditionary force of the Australian Army in the Second World War. It was formed following the declaration of war on Nazi Germany, with an initial strength of one ...

and was married on 16 March 1940 to Miss Alma Fraser prior to embarking for the war in Europe and the Middle East. Angus died in Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital on 20 September 1988.

Career highlights

;1930 :3rd Holland 50 ;1931 :3rd Melbourne to Bendigo :7th Tour of Gippsland ;1933 :1st Tour of Gippsland :4th Melbourne - Ballarat - Melbourne ;1934 :2nd and Fastest time Barnet Glass Grand Prix :6th

;1936 :2nd Fastest time Tour of Gippsland :1st Australian national road race title and ::Blue Riband in the

Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic The Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic cycling race is a one-day road bicycle race. The race started in 1895 and is Australia's oldest one day race and the world's second oldest one day race, after the Liège–Bastogne–Liège Classic. Histor ...

;1937 :2nd Fastest time Barnet Glass Grand Prix :2nd Fastest time Tour of Gippsland :1st Australian national road race title and ::Blue Riband in the

;1939 :1st Australian 100-mile championship :1st and Fastest Midlands tour :Fastest time Tour of Gippsland

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Angus, Alan 1912 births Australian male cyclists 1988 deaths Australian Army personnel of World War II Cyclists from Melbourne Sportsmen from Victoria (state) 20th-century Australian sportsmen