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RIDER Q&A - PETER HORSNELL
Jon Fairclough Asks the Questions

Photo by Fergus Muir

The cyclist answering the questions this month is Peter Horsnell, who has won the National Three Distance
Championship five years in a row from 2014 to 2018 and the BAR in 2015. Peter has set 28 national records
in his career and is the current holder of 11. He is 89 and still racing. Peter is also President of the East
Anglian Group and the Chelmer Cycling Club.
Q: When did you start time trialling?
I started riding in an organized manner in the autumn of 1944, when I was 14 years old. I rode with my
stepfather and the members of the Chelmsford CTC, who by age or medical problems had failed to qualify
for HM Forces in WW2. They were very kind and helpful. Later I joined their racing offshoot – the Viking
Road club and enjoyed grass track racing on Saturdays throughout the season with some success. My first
time trial was the Glendene Novices 25 on E3. Conditions that day were described in “The Bicycle” edition of
26 th March 1947 as “wet roads, gale force winds”, and a 10 mile ride to the start! The winner was another
Viking, Ron Brown, who was off at number 1. His 1:11:44 put him a clear 3 minutes ahead of the next man,
Roy Godbeer of Marsh Road Club. My time was 1:18:25 and I was placed 8 th , not bad from 49 entrants, so I
was encouraged to continue. Early in 1949 I joined the newly formed Chelmer Cycling Club and met my wife
Mary. After my first run with the hardriders we rode home together from the tea-place on a winter’s night and
the rest is history!
Q: What are the greatest achievements in your time trialling career?
Out of 73 consecutive years of competitive cycling, winning both the VTTA National BAR and 3 Distance
competitions in 2015 are my greatest achievements. I just managed to hold off that prolific winner Adam
Topham, who applies complete dedication to all his undertakings, which commands the greatest respect
from me. My personal bests are 10 miles: 23:13 (1990), 25 miles: 1:00:44 (1990), 30 miles: 1:11:32 (1991),
50 miles: 2:03:37 (1991), 100 miles: 4:30:00 (1977), 12 hours: 240.29 miles (1977). In contrast to the
impressive record of Ron Hallam (who appeared in Q&A in the last issue), I have not won events on scratch,
only on standards, or as a team member.
Q: What is your TT bike?
It’s a carbon frame LOOK bike. Bill Broadfield sold it to me in 2010 after my Columbus steel frame fell apart
on the E72 during an event! Bill was a member of the Cyclos Uno winning team in the VTTA National 10
and had used it for only that event, so it was nearly new.

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