PROVING GROUND

In the latest in a series revisiting British classic race routes, Simon Warren takes on the mini-bergs of Essex and finds a few surprises

- Simon Warren

Unpacking my bike on Halstead’s MarketHill and looking down the road, I almost did a double-take. “Wow, that is a lot steeper than I expected, that’s a proper hill. Must have really stung the legs.” From 1964, this testing little ramp through the heart of town was the finishing straight of one of the great British bike races, the Grand Prix of Essex. On event day it would be lined five deep with spectators, with more peering through and hanging out of the windows of the shops and pubs to catch sight of the action. Although the race was already 10 years old, with early editions being run further south around the Romford and Southend area, it’s the town of Halstead with which it will forever be associated.