British Cycling Gala Dinner

The great and the good were at British Cycling’s Gala Dinner in Manchester. Whilst not on the top table, “Local Riders, Local Races” had a pretty good seat at this rather up-market bun fight. MC Hugh Porter led the deserved congratulations on a truly memorable year for British Cycling!
What was said:
Hugh Porter……. “He did more than live out his own dream this year; he lived out the dreams of all of us”
“I have spent my whole life following cycling and I never ever thought I would see a British winner of the Tour De France”

Bradley Wiggins……… “Next year is going to be different; you can’t do the same thing again”
………. “I do what I am told to do, as we all do”……….
……… “I gotta get back on my bike in a couple of weeks’ time...
……….. “My foundation is nothing like Lance Armstrong’s foundation”..

Sir Chris Hoy……… “The last time I danced was at my wedding, it’s not my cup of tea, good luck to Victoria”..
….. “all those Friday afternoon rolling 500 sessions, all the stuff on the turbo, all the intervals, all the stuff that really hurts, that’s where it all paid off”….
….. “It was not tears on the podium, it was an allergy, I wasn’t crying”…

Lizzie Armitstead ….. “I have watched it back and saw myself get out of the saddle before she(Vos) did and thought come on why didn’t I go?”
….. “I’m kind of a home girl and like my simple things”..
…….. “For me it’s about the freedom I have on the road, I am not sure I could give that up”

Mark Cavendish …….. “Ideally I wanted to stay with Sky..”
“ I think it was one of the biggest honours of my career was to be part of that team with Brad, I think he could have won it last year…”
….. “I want sprint days instead of collecting bottles”….
……. “Unfortunately for me the history of the Tour De France is mostly mountains, hopefully I can start off by wearing the yellow jersey and finish by winning the green jersey….”
…. “I still want to get that points jersey in the Giro…… “
.... "OmegaPharma-Quickstep has the most amazing classics team"...

Jess Varnish ……. “I don’t think I will ever get over being disqualified from the Olympics, it’s always gonna hurt talking about it, it was a bad day”

Neil Fachie……. “ I achieved my greatest ambition in life, I got to walk on the pitch at Aberdeen Football Club….”

Sarah Storey …… “I love to race, I will race anywhere, anytime, there is life in the old girl yet, there is plenty more to come”……