Chas Messenger - Merger With The NCU

Merger With The NCU

Messenger and Peter Itter, chairman of the rival National Cycling Union, forged the links which merged the two organisations to form the British Cycling Federation in 1959. He negotiated with the police to hold races on open roads. He became vice-chairman of the BCF's racing committee, which picked teams, for seven years. He managed the British road team four times between 1962 and 1967, culminating in the world championships in which Graham Webb won the men's amateur road race and Beryl Burton the women's event.

He was sacked in September 1967 without explanation from the British Cycling Federation.