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The Golden Acre Road Race 1965

The Leeds Golden Acre Road Race attracts fierce competitors and draws passionate crowds in this exhilarating cycling film.

Amateur film 1956 4 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Yorkshire Film Archive

Overview

This stirring cycling film depicts Leeds’s 1956 Golden Acre Road Race. The race briefly begins with a mass of riders jostling for position, but they soon naturally separate themselves into groups that reflect their ability. The camera adopts a modern TV style as it moves around sections of the course and swiftly pans in the direction of the cyclists until they pass the chequered flag.

Golden Acre Road Race took place in Leeds and was organised by the South Leeds Road Club. Bicycle road racing became increasingly popular in the Leeds area in 1950s and still remains popular in Selby.