He has a great name for a cyclist, Sam Spokes; we first spoke to the young Aussie in 2013 when he was making a name for himself with QuickStep U23 feeder team, Etixx. Last year also saw some nice results - but not enough to move him up to the Etixx World Tour squad. But all is not lost, he’s signed with Australian Pro Continental team, Drapac – and in his first race in the Aussie team’s distinctive red jersey he made the winning break in the recent Australian Elite Road race taking a solid fifth behind winner Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling).
He’s more Australian than most folks from ‘Down Under’ - despite the fact that he’s from Gent in the heart of Flanders. He’s currently writing a history of Australian cycling, he’s the Drapac team’s European Co-ordinator, he’s a photographer at the Gent Six Day, and he’s VeloVeritas' biggest asset and chauffeur at Het Nieuwsblad. He’s Dirk Van Hove.
Randy Allsopp was 25 and 50 mile champion, stage racer of renown with multiple victories, top 10 finisher in the world’s fastest amateur stage race, The Olympia Tour in the Netherlands, and - along with Ferdi Bracke - one of the very few people ever to catch Hugh Porter in a Pursuit race.
Ben Swift launched a monster kick, leaving Scot, John Archibald to the bronze then zooming past teammate Ian Stannard on his blindside in the streets of Norwich to arrive at the line