Paul Carbutt
Encyclopedia
Paul Anthony Carbutt was an English
professional racing cyclist. He died in May 2004.
Carbutt has an exceptional range of achievements - from a silver medal in the short-distance national hill-climb championship in 1975 to breaking the near-1,000 miles of the Land's End to John o' Groats
road record in 1979. He was an accomplished road rider and time triallist.
with a range of time trial
distances. He came to national prominence with a stage win and second overall in the 1974 Girvan
3-day stage race. In the same season he won the 100-mile time trial championship.
In 1975 he won a bronze medal in the national road race championship and won both the 50-mile and 12-hour time trial championships. His time trialling led to selection for the British team for the team time trial
at the Montreal Olympics
. The team came sixth, 50 seconds away from a bronze medal.
In 1977 he rode for the GS Strada team. He won the early-season Girvan 3-day, was third in The Milk Race
and was national time trial champion at 100 miles. The GS Strada team (Carbutt, Dave Cuming, Phil Griffiths and Joe Waugh) won the national 100 km team trial championship. Carbutt also won the season-long British Best All-Rounder
time trial competition.
Bernard Thompson said: "Paul Carbutt is probably the one and only rider ever to have covered such a wide variety of unpaced distances with such success... Carbutt turned professional for a successful career which included the Land's End to John o'Groats record in 1d 23h 23m 1s, breaking Dick Poole's 14-year-old record by 23m 34s. In the process, Carbutt lost five minutes in Cornwall when police accused him of speeding!"
. He also took third in the Tom Simpson Memorial road race in 1981..
Cycling Club. In 1984 he rode the 24-hour championship, attempting a medal at yet another distance. He finished 22nd.
Carbutt was a clay artist, designing transport solutions. He was later diagnosed with motor neurone disease
and died in 2004.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional racing cyclist. He died in May 2004.
Carbutt has an exceptional range of achievements - from a silver medal in the short-distance national hill-climb championship in 1975 to breaking the near-1,000 miles of the Land's End to John o' Groats
Land's End to John o' Groats
Land's End to John o' Groats is the traversal of the whole length of the island of Great Britain between two extremities; in the southwest and northeast. The traditional distance by road is and takes most cyclists ten to fourteen days; the record for running the route is nine days. Off-road...
road record in 1979. He was an accomplished road rider and time triallist.
Amateur career
Carbutt rode for the Midlands-based Saracen Road Club early in his career. His programme mixed the top road racesRoad bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
with a range of time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
distances. He came to national prominence with a stage win and second overall in the 1974 Girvan
Girvan
Girvan is a burgh in Carrick, South Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of about 8000 people. Originally a fishing port, it is now also a seaside resort with beaches and cliffs. Girvan dates back to 1668 when is became a municipal burgh incorporated by by charter...
3-day stage race. In the same season he won the 100-mile time trial championship.
In 1975 he won a bronze medal in the national road race championship and won both the 50-mile and 12-hour time trial championships. His time trialling led to selection for the British team for the team time trial
Team time trial
A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
at the Montreal Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
. The team came sixth, 50 seconds away from a bronze medal.
In 1977 he rode for the GS Strada team. He won the early-season Girvan 3-day, was third in The Milk Race
Tour of Britain
The Tour of Britain is a cycle race, conducted over several stages, in which participants race from place to place across parts of Great Britain....
and was national time trial champion at 100 miles. The GS Strada team (Carbutt, Dave Cuming, Phil Griffiths and Joe Waugh) won the national 100 km team trial championship. Carbutt also won the season-long British Best All-Rounder
British Best All-Rounder
The British Best All-Rounder competition, organised by Cycling Time Trials, is an annual British cycle-racing competition. It ranks riders by their average speeds in individual time trials, over 50 and and 12 hours for men, and over 25, 50 and for women. There are similar competitions for...
time trial competition.
Professional career
In 1978 Carbutt turned professional for Viking-Campagnolo. In his first year he took a stage win at the Scottish Milk Race.Lands End to John O'Groats record
In July 1979, during a busy professional season, Carbutt attempted Dick Poole's 1965 record from Lands End to John O'Groats. Carbutt made early inroads into Poole's schedule, struggled in a Scottish heat wave, and set a record time of 1 day, 23 hours, 23 minutes and 1 second - just inside Poole's mark.Bernard Thompson said: "Paul Carbutt is probably the one and only rider ever to have covered such a wide variety of unpaced distances with such success... Carbutt turned professional for a successful career which included the Land's End to John o'Groats record in 1d 23h 23m 1s, breaking Dick Poole's 14-year-old record by 23m 34s. In the process, Carbutt lost five minutes in Cornwall when police accused him of speeding!"
Another win
In 1980 Carbutt won the Yorkshire Classic road race at HarrogateHarrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
. He also took third in the Tom Simpson Memorial road race in 1981..
Later life
Carbutt continued cycling after his professional career, riding with the Saracen Road Club again and later the SolihullSolihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
Cycling Club. In 1984 he rode the 24-hour championship, attempting a medal at yet another distance. He finished 22nd.
Carbutt was a clay artist, designing transport solutions. He was later diagnosed with motor neurone disease
Motor neurone disease
The motor neurone diseases are a group of neurological disorders that selectively affect motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, swallowing and general movement of the body. They are generally progressive in nature, and can cause...
and died in 2004.