Bike Racing Trophies and Medals
1942 Montreal Six-Day with Torchy Peden
Don Hester’s National Champion Medal
1946 National Champion
Charlie’s trophy made out of spoons
Besides racing a bike to win bragging rights or cash, cyclists have been going for the gold (medal) for decades.
Check out the ornate, beautiful, and weird cycling trophies that we have in this collection. Art deco masterpieces from the early twentieth century. The engraved milk jug from the first women’s pro world cup race. Gold medals from a time when gold was actually used to make them. The plywood, yes, plywood trophies that Zach took away from the U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross…
I am sorry to say that I don’t have a photo of the trophy our friend Kay Henshaw won back in the 1980’s for a women’s World Cup race held in Switzerland. The trophy was made out of a… Milk jug. An engraved, classy-looking pewter 5-gallon milk jug.
We do, however, have Charlie Bergna’s likeness in trophy-form, made out of spoons.
Willy Honeman was the model for trophy tops like this.
Redmond 25 mile time trial “perpetual trophy”
Some modern cycling trophies and novelty checks…
All from one rider
Washington state champion, 1965
Speaking of customized trophies, most of the antique bike racing trophies handed out in this country feature one particular rider whose likeness is preserved on the top, and we know his name. That’s Willy Honeman on the top of your grandfather’s old bike racing trophy.
Modern bike racing has some great awards as well. From the 1999 Coppa I Maggio we have an entire box of ceramic tile, each engraved with a stylized racer along with the name and edition of the race. Perfect for a bathroom remodel? From the 1998 Tour of Morocco we have an antique musket that was awarded to the American stage winner…. That was really a really fun trip home through security and customs.
We have many of the stories of these racers and their awards.
Don won a lot of races…
1937 National Champion
Our fantasy league trophy
Paris-Roubaix was not held in 2020 because of the pandemic, so somewhere out there is a 30 pound granite cobblestone made into a trophy that was never claimed. We’ll have to keep our eyes open on Ebay for that one.
The most fantastic awards have to be our Tour de France and Giro fantasy league perpetual trophies… The bobblehead Fausto Coppi dolls perpetually bobbing for the winner.