TOM SIMPSON " IF "

There have been many reports throughout a number of decades concerning the man above, Tom Simpson,outlining until now that he was the only British world professional road race champion as well as the winner of certain classic races on the continent. When one analysis the amount he did win it wasn't many, more a case of the ones he did as well as his never say spirit in trying too hard that in 1967 was his undoing.I have three books on this rider as the subject,one being his autobiography before his untimely death, one by a welknown author and the last one purchased, by his nephew. Therefore why bother with another? Well you could say that, with various other books that have been published on the same subject be it a person or otherwise, we all have our own ideas how to present and write, and this is going to be mine.

Modern stance on a old jersey,santini's retro Peugeot/BP rainbow jersey,I suspect Michelin did not want to be involved.

Most of what can be said about Tom Simpson has been, there is very little left as far as knowledge on the man., however for me when composing a book or booklet I have always been one to have plenty of pictures as you can rarely be fortunate enough in your own right in being able to get hold of certain images that someone has offered to you in a editorial. Hence as I say why I pursue in offering these as part and parcel of mine. The final chapter will centre upon the future of professional cycling had he survived, the Salvanrani angle, where was Simpson hoping to gain by joining an Italian team since he had always ridden for French trade teams until the possible change.This editorial when finished may well be unusual that I depict this purely as a 48 page booklet with a stiffened wrap around cover but within it will be a number of images that you as a reader will be hard pressed to actually find or if you did cost you dearly to buy. I am giving the option for a cycling enthusiast to purchase from me a wholly interesting and off beat format publication on Tom Simpson.

Nice shot of the old style BP shield that was so welknown in cycling as well as motor racing

So going on from above, the booklet will be A4 in size, saddle stitched for it's binding, and as I have noted a stiffened cover - colour picture on the front with a black and white image on the back. There will be plenty of text surrounding the 1960s pictures of Simpson racing etc ,pictures I will note here that one has to remember the quality so the odd b/w maybe not be as we are used to now but as this publication will be printed on good art paper I foresee this not been so much of problem as this paper to some degree eradicates it. I really do feel that once this has been printed eventually it will be "a book to keep".

As you can see above this advert on a stock bike you were able to purchase of which I did. To be perfectly honest it was probably this worse piece of kit I have ever bought in the 1970s. It was so wierd,angles,just the make overall. I eventually took it apart and used the accessories on my other bikes I made up and literally gave the frame away it was that bad. So very cheap and cheereful,havng said that if I had kept till now it would probably be worth money in the retro market!