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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ‘FATTY’ LAMB
by John Drummond (1992)
Lamb quickly adapted to professional style racing and in 1929 was placed second and second fastest in the professional division of the Goulburn to Sydney Classic to Star rider Hubert Opperman.
Following his defeat of the scratch riders to win the 'Blue Riband' for the fastest rider in the 1930 'Warrnambool to Melbourne' ' Lamb was invited to join Opperman in the Bruce Small sponsored cycling team, and from that point he never looked back.
He toured Europe with Opperman and returned to demonstrate that he ha, lost none of his former brilliance by an outstanding performance in the 193 'Warrnambool', when he smashed the record for the course by 11 minutes and seconds, covering the 260 kilometres in 6 hours 21 minutes and 18 seconds, an, at the same time lowered the 100 mile World's record by 9 minutes and 5 seconds by registering 3 hours 46 minutes and 45 seconds for the first 100 mile of the race.
'Fatty, as he was generally called, was an International rider of note, wit successes both in the United States of America and on the Continent. While in America he recorded extraordinary competition times for 30, 35, 40 and 4 miles. In America he learned a lot about motor pace and this aspect of cycling became his forte. While in France in 1931 with the Australian Tour de France team he won the Grand Prix de Marseilles (motor pace), and incidentally broke the course record.
On 8th February 1933 Lamb registered one of the finest rides of his career. At the Melbourne Motordrome he covered 60 miles and 575 yards in one hour behind the pace of Bob Finlay. Lamb and Finlay commenced warming up at 7 a.m. in an attempt on the one hour motor paced record of 59 miles and 629 yards, established in 1930 by Australia's endurance Champion cyclist Hubert Opperman.
Lamb, the Ormond Club Wheelman, rode a specially built pacing bicycle of an unorthodox variety, built by Bob Finlay. The head of the machine, with its special outrigger and supports, was claimed to make steering much easier. Lamb rode a gear of 173 inch, and commenced his attempt on Opperman's record at 8.27 a.m. after five false starts due to Finlay not being satisfied with the 'purr' of the pacing motor.
Lambs times for each of the five miles and the aggregate times at each five miles are as follows:
Lamb's versatility was shown when he competed in and won a Six-Day race in Brisbane teamed with jack Standen of New South Wales. On three different occasions he won the Sprint Championship of Australia. As an amateur he won five sprint titles in New Zealand, the Amateur Road Championship of Tasmania and broke several Tasmanian motor paced records. As a professional he won two Australian Road Titles in the famous 'Warrnambool', in 1930 and 1932, the title going to the winner of the Blue Riband for fastest time. He also, had a victory in the prestigious 'Austral' Wheelrace of 1929.
Until the great Russell Mockridge came on the scene it would be fair to say 'Fatty' Lamb was Australia's greatest all-round racing cyclist.
From Jack Hepher and John Drummond's "90 Years of a Cycling Classic" - Goulburn to Sydney 1902 – 1992" Ó Rolf Lunsmann, 2000 How you can help Feedback
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He turned Professional in 1928 after being overlooked for Olympic selection
to Amsterdam Olympic Games, when the Australian Olympic Committee chose to rely
on two New South Wales track cyclists: E.L. 'Dunc' Gray and Jad Standen The
decision was made despite Lamb's great victory in the 192 Amateur Road
Championship which was officially regarded as an Olympic test race.
Back in Australia in 1932 the brilliant pedaller paced by the noted Bob Finlay
skipped over five miles in 4 minutes 34 seconds at the Melbourne Motordome, Lamb
going like one possessed, riding with masterly precision behind the pace
afforded by Finlay before an appreciative crowd. The huge laps to the mile
concrete track in Melbourne lent itself to the exploitation of motor paced cycling. It produced riders of outstanding ability, and Fatty
Lamb was among the best. His contest with Hubert Opperman, Frank Corry Joe
Parmley, and Tasmanian pedaller Bob Arnott will never be forgotten b those still
alive and fortunate enough to have witnessed them. As for Bob Finlay he was
considered the 'Prince of Pacers'.