Robert John MAITLAND

Birmingham’s Bob Maitland began his career as a racing cyclist in the late thirties and, as his occupation of engineer meant that he was exempt from military service, began to see success through the limited wartime racing programme. Maitland placed third in the national road race championships in 1944 and 1946 then won the title in 1948, a victory that earned him a spot on the British Olympic team.

He figured prominently in the Olympic road race but could not muster a sufficient sprint to secure a medal. His sixth place was however enough to help his team to the silver medal position. Maitland again finished third in the national championships and ninth at the World Championships in 1949 but afterwards transferred his allegiance to the breakaway British League of Racing Cyclists, a group opposed to the way the National Cycling Union governed British cycling, and lost his amateur status. He won the BLRC’s version of the British title in 1953, was placed in both 1952 and 1954 and also finished third in the Tour of Britain stage race in 1953. In 1955 he was called up to the British national team to contest the 1955 Tour de France but retired at the end of the first week of cycling. He also briefly ran his own Maitland Cycles team at the end of the fifties.

He returned to the sport as a veteran and won titles in 65-69 age group at the UCI World Masters Championships. Maitland also competed in the Paris-Brest-Paris endurance marathon whilst in his seventies. Still active in the cycling community up to his death he suffered a heart attack whilst visiting a cycling trade exhibition in France and died a few days later.