The Chris Boardman Claim to Fame Page! By YOU!

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Chris Boardman

Claim to Fame

Come on now, don't be shy... Last Updated 20th May 2007

Now you're famous too!

Andrew Allen UK	During my earlier days of cycling I was known as the Mills Tea Boy. Everyone in there just expected me to get up with no money and buy everyone a tea. My greatest ever moment was when Chris asked me to buy him, his missus and all his kids tea and cakes, he must have been joking though, but dispite this, even though I only had about a pound left, I asked Ann if I could pay her the next week,she said yes and i served the whole Boardman family afternoon tea and cakes. I paid for them next time i was in the mills, so it just goes to show, even the worlds fastest man eats cake sometimes.
Mark Robinson Atherton, England	I have been a fan of Chris for years. I went watching him at the hour record and it was the most amazing display of cycling I have ever seen. He spotted me and my friend Chris Town in GAN lycra cycling skinsuits and said ' Hey nice outfits. Small dicks though'.
John Williams	When Chris rode for Manchester Wheelers he entered, rode, and won one of my Hill Climb Promotions on Chapel Brow, Charlesworth, Derbyshire. It's a 1 mile hill and about 1 in 5
Mike Bell UK	I raced against Chris in his earlier years. On three occasions we ended up in a two up break together, I beat him twice, but he got his revenge in the weaver valley crit featured in your photo gallery. Southport in 1990 was the best though, I don't know what was better, beating chris or lapping Dave Williams!
Alan Poulter Chester	I am the priest who officiated at his marriage to Sally-Ann at St Saviour, Oxton.
Paul Jeffries England	In 1987 whilst training at Calshot Track in Hampshire, the National Squad turned up for some speed training. At the end of the evening a one lap time trial was organised for all to race in. In short my claim to fame is that I beat Chris in a timed track event. Now how many can say they've done that.
Kerry & Ian Hebden Belgium	We got Chris's autograph at the Eddy Merckx Grand Prix in Brussels last year (1999). We'd just ridden one lap of the course - he of course completed 2 laps in far less time than our 1 lap!
Vernon Brookes England	We met Chris at Chateaulin in Britany two days after he had won the World Time Trial Championship in Sicily, he was in Chateaulin to ride the Circuit de Laune after the World Road Race Championship (He was 3rd at Chateaulin). As we had not heard the result of the Time Trial I asked how it went, he answered "Oh I won, don't know what happened to Berzin, I caught him for seven minutes!" This was talking about the Giro winner, as though it had happened in a club event
Mark Davies Australia	I was priveliged to take Chris Boardman on his first dive in Australia . Chris approached Frog Dive Australia to do a dive after he had finished competing here in the Olympic Time Trial.Knowing that I was a keen road race cyclist for the Marconi Cycling club here in Sydney as well as an experienced Diver, Luke Downie the dive shop Manager who is a very good friend of mine asked me if I would escort Chris on a dive around the Sydney area.We departed from Fishermans Beach for what was one of the best dives I have done around Sydney since I have taken up diving. There was a strong Westerly blowing, creating a surface current but the dive itself was I think a fantastic experience for Chris . The fish life was unbelivable Wobbygong sharks Port Jackson sharks and we fed a very large Blue Groper . We had problems finding the anchor line as there were schools of yellow tail and bulls eyes which completely hid the view of the anchor line ,but having made a safe asccent we exercised our legs swimming back to the boat. I must admit being an amatuer cyclist myself and a keen diver it was a fantastic privelidge to have the honour to escort a great hero of mine into a world where we were as equals and to have shared a day together during what turned out to be the best Olympic games ever.
Colin Clowes Liverpool	On the way back from the Mills I passed Chris, he was on his mobile and he waved. not a chance to miss so I turned around, luckley it was the week after Paris Nice, so he was taking it easy.we rode for about 3 miles, me in my credit agricole kit and him in his,what a buzz. I had seen Chris about on his bike but to ride with him made my day.
James Taylor (England)	I was the last rider on the track at Leicester in 1992 when chris had broken the 5000m record in gale force winds . I was a juvenile going for the national 200m record (which I also broke)
Dave Armstrong (Newcastle UK)	I saw him at Manchester when he got the World Hour Record. I managed to meet him afterwards along with Eddy Merrcx in the VIP lounge!
Paul Whitall (VC Halton)	I had the privalige of being cought by him for 3 minutes, after 21 miles in the 1995 Merseyside Wheelers Invitation hilly Time trial.
Steve Pont (England)	Only "claim to fame" is that I was there in Lille when he claimed his first yellow jersey ! A wonderful experience, especially the stunned silence of the French all around us as he caught Luc Leblanc, then French Champion, for a minute in just 7 km (and did so just in 100 yds up the road from us!!) ! Also managed to see him in yellow on all the early days of that Tour and on his "breakaway" at the top of Brighton's Elm Grove.
Simon Wilson Long Eaton Paragon CC	CHRIS PRESENTED ME WITH MY PRIZE AT THE 1997 CTC PRIZE PRESENTATION....(I HAD WON THE JUNIOR BAR) AND WE WERE WEARING THE SAME COLOUR SHIRTS. WHEN I GOT UP PEOPLE WERE MAKING JOKES ABOUT THIS AND HE SAID " IT SHOWS HES GOT STYLE!!"
Adrian Elson England	Picture the scene. The 1993 Isle of Man mountain time trial, my wife and I have just passed Chris (in the car!) during his 60 mph decent of the mountain from Kates cottage, thinking we are well away from him we get held up by traffic at Creg na ba, suddenly I feel a warm sensation im my trousers as I glance in the mirror and see Chris bearing down on our back boot!
Steve Harrison (England)	Chris awarded me with a special prize of a Giro helmet donated by himself for the fastest time trial at the BCF Challenge '97 Finals.
Gordy from Inverness (UK)	Met the man after the Stirling bash. Missed a stunning photo op as he walked to the hospitality tent on his own, after the race. Daughter on back, wife with camera, but just too slow! But on the way down the hill, the Gan car pulled up beside us and I grabbed a photo, though the window - a bit paparazzi, but then he wound down the window shook my hand and said that it would be more difficult from now on! Lovely chap! Told lassy that daddy was speaking to the fastest cyclist in the world!
Hannah Emmett	Met Chris Boardman about eight years ago before he turned pro. He owed Ian Emmerson a favour, so he talked a bit about cycling then presented the Velo Club with their well deserved trophies, including my brother for the time trials that year.
Matthew Andrews	Saw Chris Boardman stringing out the whole of the Gan and drop Greg Lemond during the 1994 Tour TTT when he was in yellow. I also got on Eurosport as well!
Neil Robertson London, England	I completely ignored Chris back in 1984 at the Good Friday Track meeting. He was about 17 ??
Tom James Oxford University CC	1993 - I was helping organise the OUCC 25 in which he beat the record. Anyway, I was off No 1 and Chris was off 120, so when he was due to finish I rode down to get his time. Suddenly, out of the gloom a rider in yellow emerges round the last corner. A hundred camera flashes go off - too early! It was Lillistone, all but caught for five minutes. 100 people curse and wind on as Boardman flies round just fifteen seconds later. After the finish, I collected the times from the timekeeper and rode up the hill to tell him what he had done. After a little chat, I remarked on what a good ride it was on "fixed" as well. "Well, how many times did you change gear today, then?" he enquired. I didn't have the heart to say "lots - every time the road went uphill!" There are lots of other stories from this event - how the course was measured the night before; how the start was 200 yds in the wrong place (too long); how the HQ was double booked with a very confused wedding party..... Congrats on a fun page,
Tim Cox UK	I did the duo normand time trial and boardman beat me and my team mate by about 10 minutes I think.
Greg Lunt St.Helens Merseyside UK	As well as maintaining the Chris Boardman page, my greatest personal memory of Chris was when he rode a 3rds and Junior event (as a junior) in Birkenhead, on the Black Horse Hill circuit. A little lad in his then Green and Yellow striped jersey of the North Wirral Velo he proceeded to lap the field (6 miles / lap) and win easy. I know as I was in the race. I have a signed photo and a rare signed painting of Chris in action by Pat Clearly. (OK enough about me!)
Steve Blackman England	I was on the same plane as Chris as he went home after retiring due to injury from the 1997 Tour de France. I spotted him in the departure lounge in Geneva airport but no one believed me that it was him. Spoke to him on the gangway to the plane and then again at Manchester where I got my photo taken with him. He was very pi**ed off at having to leave the tour but he was still happy to talk to me for some time about the rest of the season. Ironically the next time I saw him was on Boxley hill in the Rochester classic later in the year - just 200 yards after he had fallen off and aggrivated his back injury from the Tour.
Paul Evans South Wirral, England	I have been out training with Chris ,raced against him,well on the same course as him and witnessed him record the fastest ever ten time (unofficial,as it was a club event). Keith boardman was my coach for a while and I have held his olympic gold medal
Jon Kirkwood Netherlands (ex-UK)	I raced once against Chris Boardman in 1984 when I was a junior. It was on the 10 mile TT course at Rinford. He came second overall and I came third in the Handicap race! I was riding for Ormskirk St Annes at the time.
Robbie Burton USA	I have a tatoo of Chris on the outside of my right quadricep! It depicts Chris on the Lotus in the 1992 Olympics. Am I the only person in the world with a Chris Boardman tatoo?
Julie Warren UK	I went to see the start of the Tour in Dublin last year (1998) and painted my nails yellow, green and white with red polka dots to honour the occasion. I was lucky enough to see Chris arriving for the opening ceremony and asked if I could take his photo. As he stood posing for me, he commented "nice nails!" Wow!
Jon Hunt UK	Apart from being the other team-mate mentioned by Tim Cox (it was only nine mins Tim and we did have that stack-up) I have also met Chris when he smashed the Comp '25' record (45-57) when I trailed in with 52-05 (still fastest Junior, though!!). My main claim to fame though was Chris asking me what to say when he went up to collect his trophies of that years RTTC dinner (I was waiting to collect mine too - happy days) to which I responded "search me Chris - your the one who talks to all the press all the time"... But, thanks for settling my nerves by the way Chris!!! Anyway, great site and have a good 1999 everyone!
Adrian Pengelly UK	In the early ninties I rode a twenty-five mile TT on an extremely sporting course. It was a wild, wet and very windy day, and when I came in with a time of 58 minutes I knew no-one would be able to go faster. Ten minutes later Boardman came in with a time around 5 minutes faster! I finished second that day, but it may as well have been 102nd! How did he go so fast?
AXEL England	I was personally responsible for saving Chris's 1996 Tour De France. On the Larau Climb in the Pyranese mountains I handed Chris up a bottle of water. "Here you are Chris" I shouted as I nearly managed to take out a Lotto rider at the same time (which I think was Andre Tchmil). I later met Chris at the Manchester velodrome and showed him a photo my dad had taken of me saving Chris's day. Upon asking him if he remebered the occasion he looked at the photo and said "yes, you can put some ice in it next time!". Well, theres gratitude for you!. In the same Tour he nodded to me nearly every time he saw me cheering for him on the road side( as I was among the only English people in the most obscure places on the route. After waving my banner, I even got a wave off of Roger Legay!
Chris Boardman CANADA NOT THE CHRIS BOARDMAN	Pretty basic we have the same name, and I had it first. I live in Canada and have many people in North America ask me if I am the rider that holds the speed record.
Gerry Bowditch England	Chris and myself are the only two riders in history to have won medals in two consecutive years in the GHS National Juvenile 10m time trial championships
Jim Haggerty	In 1998 on the isle of man I was Chris Boardmans minute man in the 25ml TT and lasted 7.5 ml before he went past like a train.
Craig Battersby	Check out the picture of Chris in the National hill climb champs in 91 on the 'early years' page, I'm the guy stood behind Chris clapping and trying to work out what gear he's riding!
David Mayor	Met Chris Boardman at the Manchester Velodrome during the national championships after he crashed out of the tour de france.
Robert Upex	I have rode on the manchester track with Chris! He always talks to me when we met and always has time to encourage me! He often speaks to my mum who is a youth development officer with the BCF! Chris is great!
Stephen Dolan	MET CHRIS LOTS AND LOTS OF TIMES WHEN MY DAD BUILT MOST OF HIS BIKES
Keith Murray	I was in the North Wirral Velo cycling club when it was sponsored by Kodak. At the 1996 club dinner I asked Chris if he could recomend a target for the coming years, he suggested the hour record. Having thought about what he said I found out that there was a world millitary hour record held by John Pritchard 45.2 km, so I trained for a while and on 29 may 1997 I set a new hour record for millitary personell of 46.26703 km only another 9 and a bit K`s to go !!!
John Surtees	BACK IN,I THINK 1988, MYSELF AND TEAM MATE RICHARD HIGH FROM KNARESBOROUGH CC, WON A HILLY 2 UP TIME TRIAL BASED ON THE BROXTON COURSE NEAR CHESTER. WE RETURNED A YEAR LATER TO WIN YET AGAIN. HOWEVER, YOU GUESSED IT, WE WERE DENIED THE THIRD TIME IN A FLAT 25 2 UP,WHEN CHRIS AND HIS PARTNER SIMON LILLISTONE CERTAINLY PUT US IN OUR PLACE WITH A THREE MINUTE BEATING. I HAVE SINCE SETTLED TO A CAREER IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AND TAKEN UP ROWING AS A SPORT. HOWEVER I STILL FOLLOW MR BOARDMAN'S EXPLOITS AND WISH HIM ALL THE BEST FOR 1999.
Brent King	Rode Porthole Grand Prix in 1997 against Chris, plus watched him break Tony Rominger's hour record at Manchester Velodrome.
Steve Parker	Fame I taught Chris Maths at secondary school. Every Friday afternoon he used to go off cycling as an alternative curriculum exercise. Where would he be today without that time off from school?
Bryan Ackerley WALES	Met Chris when he started riding the thursday night 10's near Chester,he was probably about 13 at the time,but has he got faster ,he would always shout encouragement when he past you in the tt's
Les Pick England	I was also a rider in that event where Chris broke the record, this was a shame because I rode round to a PB that evening and never beat the time again, so for three years I had to put down on my RTTC entry forms that the winner of the race beat me by 5 minutes, embarrassing even if it was the great man himself.
William Bonner Team Lusso	Chris forgot his pump at one event and let me pump up his tyres, then cought me for 10 mins,perhaps I should have put less air in his tyres!!!
Paul Emmett Ex- Rossendale Road Club	I had the priviledge of being caught for just over a minute (after the finish line though!) in the 1992 Lancashire Road Club Ramsbottom Rake Hill Climb. It was a fantastic day, spoilt only by the fact Chris didn't manage to take the record - but Jeff Wright was presented with the 'Ladies Winner' jersey!!!!!
Michael Lindfield England	Chris is my cousin we are related by, by fathers sister is his mother, which makes him my cousin.
Tony Bell	I remember seeing Chris when he was about two when he used to be with his mum and dad at time trials, along with his sister, Lisa. He started racing when he was 12 I think, and I used to see him around the Wirral a lot. Because I am completely useless at recognising talent, I once told him, when he was 16 and he'd just given me a damn good kicking on the chain gang, that he 'would never be any good...He must have forgiven me, because it's down to Chris that I'm working as a journalist. The first paid writing job I had was working on the book 'The Fastest Man on Two Wheels...I don't see him much these days, but he did buy me a pint at the BC dinner last November.
Abbie Burns	I am Abbie Burns and Chris is my mums sisters husband which makes him my uncle.I love him loads.
Pete Goss	I've got Chris' old adidas cycling shoes and cycle with them on almost every day. They were given to me by a friend who managed to blag them off him to help me get some stuff together to start competitive cycling. I swear they give me a more than psychological edge! thanks Chris!
George Boardman	Chris Boardman is my dad i am his third child (of six) and i am 13. he retired in 2000 and started working as a coach who coaches the coaches. we live in stanley road hoylake and moved from meols(hoylake). i love him very much and hva been on many bike rides with him

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