After a long slowly debilitating illness Barrie Mitchell passed away peacefully at home in the early hours on 12 October 2023. Barrie made a huge contribution to the development of the British Masters Cycle Racing organisation (formerly known as LVRC) and without his invaluable and often unrecognised work in the early days BMCR would not be in the strong position it is today.
For over fifteen years Barrie organised the Racing Calendar, completely on paper, before we could deploy technology to assist. Without him owning this work the organisation would have failed in its fundamental objective of providing a racing calendar for all the members.
As a member of MI Racing, he organised innumerable races over the years, often including National Championships. Many were based on new ideas to BMCR which he fought hard to get accepted and yet they are taken for granted now. The Time Trial Championships and the Omloop – a mixed gravel and tarmac race are two examples.
Barrie and his colleagues were at the forefront of including women in our sport and those early efforts have provided a strong foundation for increasing numbers of female members and racers today.
In his younger days Barrie was a formidable junior representing Coventry CC in Road Racing, Cyclocross and Time Trials twice winning the prestigious Coventry to Nottingham junior race in the mid 1960’s following lone breakaways, he was also given dispensation as a junior to ride the seven day senior Tour of Ireland international where as the youngest rider he was second on two of the sprint stages racing against seasoned international riders who had just completed the Tour of Britain Milk Race.
It was felt that Barrie’s best years were missed because of his decision to retire from the sport around the time he became a senior. He then focused his efforts on car rally driving and fishing at which he competed at a high level, at the same time concentrating on his career which developed into him becoming the Managing Director of a local Stratford Engineering company.
Barrie returned to cycling at age 40 where he continued his winning ways with multiple national championship wins on and off the road including a veterans world championship downhill Mountain bike title in the 1990’s.
A time served engineer Barrie was a perfectionist in all his endeavours whether it was tasks he took on for the LVRC, his bikes and equipment, business activities, building projects and his final retirement gardening business.
Barrie leaves behind a wife Christine and sons Edward and James and grandchildren from a previous marriage.
Barrie’s wish is for his funeral to be a private family affair.
