I enjoyed looking over these photos from the 1982 Union Square Criterium. It looks like the Alpine riders (Ian Jackson, Paul Peason and others) joined forces with the Toga team for a day. That must have stacked the deck.... hell, it looks like Donaghy didn't even win, though then again, neither did Toga.
I'm wondering of anyone can identify rider #40, who is in Toga kit but who appears to be an Alpine rider (look like Alpine graphics on the bike, and he has the same stylin' white shoes as Pearson)?
http://www.flickr.com/
And for the record, I think someone mentioned that Pearson was from Northern, VA and was a carpenter. As far as aI know Paul was from Bethesda, MD, and while he may at times have worked as a carpenter, he was pretty much a fulltime bike racer from his junior days and was a pro by the time of these photos. I grew up in Bethesda, and Paul actually graduated from my high school about 10 years before me. My cross country coach used to encourge my cycling and tell me about the riders who ran indoor track for him in the past, including Paul Pearson and Ed Slaughter, as I recall. Oddly, both of these Bethesda MD Alpine team riders ended up living here in the Lehigh Valley. The track lured them here, and I suppose women, jobs, or whatever kept them here. Last I did the group ride from the velodrome (a few years ago, I'm afraid), Paul was out there, and I hear Ed is now on the bike again too. At one point Bruce Donaghy was also living around here, and would show up on the velodrome ride (a.k.a. "the Derby"). Actually, that ride can be a who's who of east coast legends... with everyone from Marty the Blade to Simes the XXIIV showing up at times. I'm always baffled when I meet newer riders around here, and when I ask if they ride the Derby they dismiss it as way too fast, or whatever. Old men and Junior women do that ride. Even if only a few strong riders are left at the end, it's for all comers, and why anyone would pass up a chance to ride with old stars and current champs is beyond me. That's a ride I'm happy to be dropped from.
Tom Dalton Bethlehem, PA, USA
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