The pennants, scarves, plates & certficates - 10
ITEM N°464
GILMORE Graeme (AUS) (29.06.1945)
His winner’s pennant from the Latrobe Wheel Race on 26 December 1963
Graeme Gilmore was one of Australia’s leading track cycling specialists during the 1960s and 1970s. A fast, resilient and spectacular rider, he spent much of his professional career competing in European velodromes.
Before moving to Europe, Graeme Gilmore distinguished himself in Australia’s leading cycling competitions. His early successes revealed the young track cyclist’s talents and heralded a brilliant international career.
On 26 December 1963, aged eighteen, he won the Latrobe Wheel Race, one of Tasmania’s oldest and most prestigious cycling events. Traditionally held during the festive season, this competition brought together some of Australia’s finest riders.
The item on display is the winner’s pennant presented to Graeme Gilmore on the occasion of this victory. Made from satin fabric, it features the colours red, cream and dark blue and bears the inscriptions ‘Winner’, ‘Latrobe Wheel-Race’ and ‘Latrobe, 1963’. The lower section states that the pennant was presented by the Latrobe Bicycle Racehema Club. The creases, slight wear and the patina of the fabric bear witness to its age and the history it has endured since it was presented to the young winner.
A handwritten letter from Graeme Gilmore, dated 4 September 2015, accompanies this item. In it, the champion identifies this ribbon as the one he won in the 1963 Latrobe Wheel Race and recalls that he was eighteen years old at the time. This document directly confirms the provenance and history of the pennant.
The race photograph shows Graeme Gilmore in full flight during his early days.
Featured in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this pennant preserves the memory of Graeme Gilmore’s victory in the Latrobe Wheel Race on 26 December 1963, the defining success of his remarkable career.
ITEM N° 465
GILMORE Graeme (AUS) (29.06.1945)
His winner’s sash from the 1974 Cologne Six Days
Graeme Gilmore was one of Australia’s leading track cycling specialists during the 1960s and 1970s. A fast, resilient and spectacular rider, he spent much of his professional career on European velodromes.
After making a name for himself in Australia, notably by winning the Latrobe Wheel Race in 1963, Graeme Gilmore moved to Europe. He then became a specialist in American-style races and Six-Day events.
From 27 December 1973 to 2 January 1974, he took part in the Cologne Six Days, partnering the German track cyclist Dieter Kemper. At the end of six days of competition, the pair won the event ahead of Wilfried Peffgen and Patrick Sercu.
The item on display is the winner’s pennant-scarf presented to Graeme Gilmore on the occasion of this victory. Made from red and white satin fabric, it bears gold lettering commemorating the Cologne Six Days and the date 2 January 1974. The creases, wear and tear on the fabric, and the gold fringes bear witness to the age of this piece. Preserved in its original condition, this pennant-scarf evokes the formal ceremonies held at the conclusion of major track cycling competitions.
In a handwritten letter addressed to Noël Grégoire in 2015, Graeme Gilmore himself identified this item as the ribbon marking his victory at the 1973–1974 Cologne Six Days alongside Dieter Kemper. This document directly confirms its provenance.
The photograph shows Graeme Gilmore in the thick of a track race, surrounded by several competitors. It captures the intensity of the Six-Day events, which demanded speed, endurance, skill and perfect coordination between team-mates.
Featured in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this pennant-scarf commemorates the victory of Graeme Gilmore and Dieter Kemper at the Cologne Six Days on 2 January 1974.
ITEM N° 467
GILMORE Graeme (AUS)
(29.06.1945)
His certificate of honour as ‘1973–1974 European Winter Champion’
Graeme Gilmore was one of Australia’s leading track cycling specialists during the 1960s and 1970s. Fast, with great stamina and particularly at ease in American-style races, he spent much of his professional career competing in European velodromes.
Following his early successes in Australia, including the Latrobe Wheel Race in 1963, Graeme Gilmore moved to Europe. He went on to compete in numerous international events and established himself as a recognised specialist in Six-Day races. The 1973–1974 winter season was particularly memorable. Partnering with the German track cyclist Dieter Kemper, Graeme Gilmore notably won the Cologne Six Days, held from 27 December 1973 to 2 January 1974.
The item on display is the certificate of honour awarded to Graeme Gilmore by the International Professional Cycling Federation. It confers upon him the title of ‘1973–1974 European Winter Champion’, in recognition of his results and sporting achievements. The certificate bears the federation’s emblem, the rider’s name, a statement of his title, and the signatures of the president and the secretary-general. Its official presentation reflects the importance accorded to champions of the major European track cycling seasons.
Preserved in its original condition, this document is a valuable source of information on Graeme Gilmore’s career. The date on which it was issued, which is after the season in question, shows that it is a commemorative honour awarded following his performances during the winter of 1973–1974.
Displayed in the Virtual Cycling Museum – Noël GREGOIRE Collections, this certificate of honour keeps alive the memory of Graeme Gilmore and his remarkable performances in European velodromes during the winter of 1973–1974.
