Malcolm Elliott

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Malcolm Elliott at the 1989 Tour of Britain in his Teka team colours

Malcolm Elliott is an English professional cyclist. He was born in Sheffield, England on July 1, 1961, Elliott’s professional career has lasted from 1984 to 1997 when he retired and then from 2003 up to the present day when he made his comeback in British domestic racing. Known as a very fast sprinter, his career highlights have included winning two stages and the points jersey in the Vuelta a España, he won two gold medals in the Commonwealth Games as well as winning the Tour of Britain stage race in two forms, the amateur Milk Race and the professional version, the Kellogs Tour. He rode and finished the Tour de France on two occasions (1987 and 1988).

Elliott’s career as an amateur saw him join the local Rutland Cycling Club in Sheffield at the age of 15 where he very quickly showed promise winning many races which resulted in him being selected for the British team for the World Junior Championships in Argentina in 1979. He raced for the UV Aube cycling club in Troyes, France for part of the 1980 season to gain experience of racing on the continent before being selected for the British Team pursuit squad for the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow along with Sean Yates and Tony Doyle where they finished fifth. However, Malcolm Elliott’s big career breakthrough came at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane where he took gold medals in the road race and the team time trial.

1983 was Elliott’s final year as an amateur and he took six stages of the British Milk Race that season before turning professional with the Raleigh-Weinmann team in 1984. Further domestic success followed in 1984 and 1985 before switching to the ANC-Halfords squad in 1986. ANC-Halfords were one of the most ambitious British professional teams ever, racing in continental Europe as well as Britain, Elliott had success in the Sun Tour in Australia as well as finishing third in the 1987 Amstel Gold Race. The team received an invitation to the 1987 Tour de France with Elliott finishing 94th overall and finishing third in the stage into Bordeaux.

In 1988 Elliott joined his first big continental team when he signed for the Fagor team which had Stephen Roche as team leader, he took his first stage in the Vuelta a España that year and took another one in 1989 by which time he had switched to the Spanish Teka team. He continued riding in Europe until the end of the 1992 season when he felt he needed a change of scenery and signed for the U.S.A. based team Chevrolet-LA Sheriffs, Elliott had four very successful and enjoyable years riding for Chevrolet winning such high profile races as the First Union Grand Prix and the Redlands Classic and taking a stage in the Tour DuPont. In 1997 he moved to the Comptel-Colorado Cyclist squad but the team soon hit financial trouble with the riders not receiving payment, these problems prompted Elliott to announce his retirement at the end of the 1997 season at the age of 36.

In a surprise move Malcolm Elliott returned to professional cycling at the start of the 2003 season at the age of 42. Riding as an individual for the Pinarello-Assos squad (which was set up by his former manager at ANC-Halfords Phil Griffiths), he has had good results including wins in the Havant International GP and stages in the Irish Milk Ras. For the 2006 season Elliott will continue his career, riding for the Plowman Craven team in mostly domestic racing taking in Premier Calendar events and the national circuit series.

[edit] Career Details