Ed Hood has a ride down memory lane with Canadian ground breaker, Ron Hayman. The man from British Columbia (via Scotland) made the bold step of moving to Belgium to fight amongst the hardest men in cycle sport on the hardest roads. From there he cut a fine career in the top US teams in the 80’s.Phil Anderson second, Stephen Roche third, Robert Millar fourth but what was the race and who won?The 1979 Tour of Ireland – and in first place was a certain Ron Hayman of Canada, guest riding for the English Archer Road Club.On the way to that win in IrelandHayman was one Canadas pioneers; beating a trail to Europe and the tough Flemish school in those days when Belgium was still somewhere in a time warp around the year 1951 with roads, changing facilities, toilets and tough guys to match.In 1979 the Canadian battled his way to the top of the Belgian amateur rankings no mean feat, whatever the year. Hayman was actually born in Scotland in the Lennoxtown, famous as a nail making town – before his parents emigrated to Canada.But lets have the man himself take up the story . . .Ron Hayman: I was living on the west side of Vancouver in the 60s I was too young to drive at 13 years-old but there was a mid-week racing scene; I bought at an old Cinelli and started riding. The race scene was largely run by UK and Italian immigrants, thered be races...
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