Top: Powering up the Hill at Yew Tree Brake.
Bottom Left: The finish line
Bottom Right: Royal Dean Forest Cycling Club winning team.

Vernon kindly added the following:
" In the top picture, the first two riders were from RAF Yatesbury cycling team, the third rider was Derek Maxim from Blakeney, (now sadly deceased), the fourth rider is me (Vernon Brookes, then from Ruardean, now Cinderford)

The bottom picture shows three Royal Dean Forest riders finishing equal 5th, Derek Maxim had already finished 2nd, but no pictures exist of him finishing, the race was won by Gordon Taylor from the Evesham Wheelers, I can't remember who were 3rd and 4th.

The other picture (bottom RH) shows the Royal Dean Forest Cycling Club winning team after the race, (which finished on Valley Road in Cinderford, opposite what is now the entrance to the Trading Estate just before Englehard's).
The spectator clapping is Gerald Meek from Drybrook, the fellow in front of him is Ivan Walker from Lydbrook (now deceased) and the chap in the white jacket is Idris David, a time keeper and member of the Gloucester City Cycling Club
The other Lower RH picture is, L to R, Derek Maxim (2nd), Rob Clifford from Monmouth, Vernon Brookes from Ruardean, and Bob Ruck from Cinderford (now a resident of Lydney) all who finished equal 5th because we were club mates and didn't want any of us to finish outside the first six and not get our Racing Licence signed!
The race was 4 laps of Cinderford, Dunkley's Corner, Brierley, Edge End, Poolway, Broadwell, Speech House and Cinderford (Valley Road), totalling 50 miles, after 4 climbs from Mireystock to Worrall Hill, and 4 climbs of Speech House Hill".
Vernon also added "I am still cycling regularly and go to France every Summer to see the "Tour", but I wish I could get up Speech House Hill once let alone 4 times!".

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