The club started in the early 60's with local riders meeting up for club runs in Finchley. They were mainly made up of riders who lived locally but did no road racing, only time trials. Big clubs at the time, like the Barnet CC had most of the top riders, so keeping VC Finchley a small exclusive club.

As the years rolled by members left to join other clubs leaving few riders. In the 80's I joined my first cycling club, the Barnet CC. As I progressed in road racing I decided to move and joined a race team called Magnasport CRT. They were a top North London squad sponsored by ex-pro Patrick Schields.

I lived in Finchley and wanted a local club. So I found the VC Finchley via the British Cycling Federation. There was only 1 member in the club at the time. He wasn't interested in racing, so I joined. I designed my own club top (Blood Red) and back in 1986 the club had its first ever road racer. I had a great time running the club on my own. I won loads of races and enjoyed a healthy club fund for 5yrs.

In 1991 (aged 31) I decided that racing was getting too tough and that I needed a change. So I retired, put my bike away but managed the club for a further 5 years until the club fund dried up.

15 years on the cycling bug bit me again and I took my old bike out... as you do.

I ran into the Team Sport Club whilst out training in Barnet and recognised all the old faces that started out in the 80's. Most were bald and had tram line-wrinkels that could be used in Amsterdam.

I went out on a few rides and my enthusiasm started to come back and I wanted to race, so I registered the VC Finchley with the BC in 2005.

I met up with Simon Oliver of PaulSimonHomes Estate Agents on club runs and mentioned the concept of a local sponsored race team. He was keen to know more, so we had a meeting and agreed in principal how we could form a team. At the end of 2005, Team Sport Publicity decided to call it a day. I had to find a way of keeping the riders together and at their AGM, I introduced the idea of them joining a new sponsored team.

So back come the new 'Finchley Racing Team'. After a long lay-off, a new team with top sponsorship any club would envy was formed and is getting better by the year. Organizing road races and regular rides has attracted many riders from other clubs, gaining a reputation as being one of the toughest club rides anywhere in North London.

My father played a big role in starting my career in cycling. He saw it as 'something to do to keep out of trouble'. My first cycling race was way back in 1995, I was 17 at the time. I raced on a mountain bike... I didn't know any better. I only wanted a medal... I didn't know about attacking and switching and sprinting. I still ended in 10th position and was quite confused about the whole thing. My father thought I had something, so the cycling career took off. First I needed a new proper road bike; my mom sold her dining suite in order to get me on the road. After school I went into cycling full time, thinking work was for losers! I trained 100km every day, meeting a lot of guys on the way. I joined them on their weekend training sessions in Bedfordview, South Africa. I cycled competitively for 7 years before moving to the UK. During those 7 years I was able to achieve a top 20 position in South Africa. I had to take a 6 year break from cycling from 2001 - 2006 to plan our immigration to England. I am now back on the bike and loving every second of it... want to make the most of it.

To me cycling was and still is serious business, I live it, breathe it, eat it...

Low Point: Almost loosing my arm in a serious accident with a BMW whilst out training in 1997.

High Point: Winning the Gauteng Time Trial Championships in South African in 2002.

My Dad introduced me to cycling at the age of twelve and entered me for my first race when I was thirteen.

I mainly road time trials until I was fifteen when I started to ride some schoolboy circuit races winning both the Easter and Summer English Schools Cycling Association leagues at Eastway.

As a Junior I still mixed between testing and Road Racing with my best results be third in the North London Divs in 1987, 5th overall in the Gwent Junior 2-Day (now called the Junior Tour of Wales) and winning the team award in the National Junior 25m TT champs in 1988 with the Hemel Hempstead CC.

I also won three road races as a Junior and won the Junior Best All Rounder title's for the Norland Combine, North Middx and Herts and ECCA as well as winning the ECCA middle distance BAR.

In my first year as a Senior rider I record one road win in 1989.

In 1990 I rode for the Magnasport CRT and won two road races including the North London Divisional's, I also became the North London pursuit champion and came third in the North London 10m scratch race at Welwyn track. I also started to ride some Star Trophy Races (called the Premier Calendar now) for my club and as part of the Eastern Centre of Excellence.

Riding for the CC Luton in 1991 I won the 1st stage of the Exeter 2-Day as well as a few time trials. I also came 26th overall in the Girvan three day and finished just outside the top twenty in the Archer GP and Welwyn Hatfield GP.

I sopped racing until 1999 when I made a come back and won six races as well as the Individual title for the Eastern Road Race League.

Since then I have won six more road races.