Geoff Wiles is an English former professional racing cyclist. He won the national road championship as a professional in 1976 and competed for his country as an amateur. He organised cycling and other races, helped form BMX in Britain and ran a cycle-shop in Kent, England. He now competes for Great Britain in world masters cycling events, and coaches a regional cycle racing team
Early life
Born in Strood, Kent, England, Wiles began cycling when his parents, Joan and 'Sailor', took him and his sister, Hilary, with them in sidecars attached to their bicycles. He joined the local branch of the Youth Hostels Association and rode with enthusiasts there until a colleague at work at the BP refinery on the Isle of Grain in Kent, south-east England, persuaded him to join the Medway Road Club. He rode his first 10-mile time trial when he was 15 and finished in 26m 47s on a heavy bike with a fixed gear and John Bull Safety tyres.
Amateur cycle racing career
He came third in his first road race, at Hoo, Kent, when he was 18. His first important win was the three-day Vectis event on the Isle of Wight the following year. The win brought Wiles selection for the South of England team for the Milk Race, and the Tour of Britain in 1966. He won a stage at Hove, near Brighton. Wiles then went on to compete for Britain in amateur stage races across the worldboth sides of the Iron curtain, including
Wiles then joined the Clive Stuart professional team, based at a cycle business near his home, in 1970. He rode with Reg Smith, John Clarey, Pete Smith and Reg Barnett, winning his sponsors' own race, the Clive Stuart Grand Prix, that same year. From there he moved to the Holdsworth team alongside Les West, Colin Lewis and others and won the national road championship in 1976. He came third in 1977. Wiles also competed in track cycling during the 1970s. In 1971, shortly after joining the Holdsworth team, he and teammate Dave Nie won gold at the British National Madison Championships in a time of 01h 43m 46s. Holdsworth sent a team to Paris–Roubaix. Wiles and his teammate, Phil Corley finished behind the main field. Wiles said the first 20 were allowed on the velodrome where the race finished and the doors were then closed and the rest were stopped from entering. "So we bunked over the wall and did our lap," he said. "We could then say we'd completed the course, even though we were not included on the official list of finishers." He moved to Carlton Cycles, sponsored by a company that was part of the Raleigh empire, in 1979 and then to minor sponsors, Glemp and New Style Windows, before retiring after 1981. Wiles organised races while still riding and, in retirement from competition, organised more races and also what he called "the toughest race in the world": a quadrathlon of a two-mile swim in the sea, a 50 km walking race, a 100-mile cycling race around the Brands Hatch motor-racing circuit, and a full marathon that ended in Gravesend, near his home. He also helped launch BMX in Britain, founding an organising body and commentating on television.
Masters Racing career (2011-present)
Following a period as the proprietor of a bicycle shop in Strood, Geoff Wiles began competing in Masters cycle racing events. In April/May 2012 Wiles took part in the , riding all thirteen stages of the original 1955 Peace Race. In 2014, Wiles competed for Great Britain in the UCI World Cycling Tour Final. Wiles suffered a leg injury during the race, but still finished fourth in the Male Over-70s category of the Road Race event. In October 2014, he competed for GBR in yet another World Championship, this time in Manchester: The UCI Track Cycling Masters World Championships. Here Wiles gained 3 medals, including gold in both the M70-74 Points race and the M70-74 Individual Pursuit. Wiles now lives with his wife Barbara in Kent, where he coaches the San Fairy Ann Racing Team. In 2010 he completed a BSc degree in Sports Science at the University of Greenwich.
