International Cycle Sport | December 1968 | Issue No 8
Editor J B Wadley
Assistant Editor John Wilcockson, BSc

Contents
Paris Show by John Wilcockson
Madonna del Ghisallo Pilgramage by John Wilcockson
Coppa Agostini Summary by John Wilcockson
Tour of Lombardy - 62 Giro di Lombardia by John Wilcockson
Handbook Nightmare by Mike Daniell
A clubman goes to Mexico 68 by Roger Sumner
New champ on an old bike by Roy Green
Cover: Van Springel leads John Clarey in 1968 Tour de France by Presse Sports
Published by Kennedy Brothers (Publishing) Ltd

Editorial
“Not until this issue was ready for press did I realise that the author of every article is a clubman who used his bike either to reach the event he has written about, or to get from point to point - as Roger Sumner did while at Mexico City for the Olympic Games.....” J B Wadley

Comments
How many times does “clubman” appear in a modern cycling magazine? Or how often would contributors travel to their assignments by bike today? Not often I guess. But this is part of the charm of these editions - with articles that reflect the views of cyclists at the time.

Advertisers Issue 8 Holdsworthy Falcon Lightweight Cycles W F Holdsworth Ltd Pennine Racing Cycles Barum Tubulars Ellis-Briggs and Favori Cycles Beekay Products GB Cycle Components Ltd Hinds CTC Harry Hall Cycles Harry Gregson Cowans Cycles Gillott Youngs Pat Hanlon S M Woodrup Ron Kitching

The 1968 Paris Salon de Cycle article includes a summary of the Lejeune stand that featured the bike used by Jan Janssen to win that year’s Tour de France - complete with a drawing by Daniel Rebour editor of “Le Cycle” and famous for his detailed technical illustrations. Reynolds tubing, Wolber tyres, Mafac brakes, Atom freewheel, Unica-Canetti saddle, Super-Champion rims, Pivo bars, Brampton chain and Campagnolo are the listed components.

The 1968 edition of the Giro di Lombardia was a true classic. You only have to look at the list of finishers to see just how many of stars of the day contested the final in this epic 166 mile, 7 hour struggle.

1968 Giro di Lombardia Results 1. Herman VAN SPRINGEL (Mann) 6:58:58 2. Franco BITOSSI (Filotex) at 0:15 3. Eddy MERCKX (Faema) at 0:15 4. Jan Janssen (Pelforth) at 0:53 5. Martin Vandenbossche (Faema) at 1:15 6. Gianni Motta (Molteni) at 1:50 7. Felice Gimondi (Salvarani) 8. Michele Dancelli (Pepsi Cola) 9. Jo De Roo (Willem II) 10. Adriano Durante (Max Meyer) 11. Daniel Van Rijckeghem (Mann) 12. Antoon Houbrechts (Flandria) 13. Ferdi Bracke (Peugeot) 14. Walter Godefroot (Flandria) at 4:11 15. Francesco Moser (Pepsi Cola) at 4:22 16. Raymond Poulidor (Mercier BP) Starters 142 Finishers 27

Franco Bitossi had won the 1967 edition, before him Felice Gimondi won in 1966, Gianni Motta in 1964 and Jo de Roo in 1962 and 1963. [Tom Simpson won in 1965 when World Champion but had died on Mont Ventoux the previous July.]

Eddy Merckx had yet to win Lombardia but had taken the World Road Championship in 1967. And Jan Janssen had won the 1968 Tour de France by seconds ahead of Van Springel; who was also second in the World Championships that year.