1972 - Tony Replaces Peter

“The SKOL 6 is something special. It is a finely balanced mixture of sport and show. Colourful entertainment, sometimes great fun, but basically a tough race demanding in skill and judgement from these superbly fit professional cyclists.
1972 sees the sixth in the SKOL 6 series and we plan to continue the annual promotion for at least another three years.
To you, the spectator, goes the credit for establishing the event as one of, if not the, most exciting sporting promotion in Britain. Year after year you have increased in number and your enthusiasm has increased in fire with the development of our own local matadors. Those who witnessed the climactic half hour of last year's race when Tony Gowland made his gallant effort must surely have left the Empire Pool convinced that, here at least, the British sporting public are capable of producing the brand of chauvinism one expects only from a South American football crowd. Thinking back to when Tony beat Peter Post in the final of the motorpaced event, I suspect that the roof lifted a little over the Empire Pool.
I am not unaware that by teaming Tony Gowland with Patrick Sercu some may think that Tony is now being given his 'chance'. Certainly his chance is there, but he must earn it. Renz and Schulze probably form the best team on the indoor tracks at the moment and the other riders contracted here this week are the strongest in depth we have ever had. Our world champion Hugh Porter forms a promising combination with Klaus Bugdahl and Tour de France riders, Karstens, Duyndam, Mourioux and Stevens will be balanced by motorpaced ace Cees Stam and pursuiter world record holder Ferdi Bracke, while Barry Hoban, who rode so well last year, returns to team up again with popular German Dieter Kemper. Altogether we have seven new faces in the SKOL 6 line up this year and a novice team representing London.
As befits an event of world standing, we have always insisted that the riders engaged must be of a very high standard and this has led to some difficulty in finding home riders to match the ability plus ambition of Gowland, Porter and Hoban, but the signs are that the situation may soon take a turn for the better. For the first time at Wembley, we will see amateurs racing every night in their own SKOL 6 and it is certain that several of these lads will be a professional next year riding in the main event. Thus a new generation of riders will begin to benefit from the promotion of the SKOL 6, riders who will reach the required standard and maintain the absolute top class racing seen in Britain only at the SKOL 6.
With the retirement of Peter Post, tragic though it was in its suddenness, the battle will now commence to find a new 'King of the Sixes' and we hope British riders will play an important role in that title fight.” Ron Webb, Skol 6 Organiser

Retirements were - Carlo RANCATI, Piet de WIT (retired in the final hour)

International Cycle Sport provided a story about Tony Gowland in the September issue and the Race Report in the November edition.

Any copies of other material would also be very helpful.

1923-1980 British Riders and Race Programmes