Australian Cycling Career
Opperman was born in Rochester, Victoria in 1904 of British-German descent. His father had worked as a butcher, miner, timber-cutter and coach driver. Hubert learned as a child to plough with six horses and to ride bareback. He attended several schools and delivered Post Office telegrams by bicycle.
He came third in a cycling race at 17 in 1921. The prize was a racing bike by Malvern Star Cycles, a cycle shop in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern. The proprietor, Bruce Small, was so impressed he offered Opperman a role in the business, which helped turn both into household names in Australia.
In 1924 at 20 Opperman won the Australian road titles, and then again in 1926, 1927, and 1929.
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