1986 – Moducel Cycling Team

Riders:

Ian Banbury
Sid Barras
Phil Bayton
Alan Dipple (until Sept 1986)
Mike Doyle
Steve Joughin
Michael Marcussen (until July 1986)

Team Manager: Brian Cossavella

Moducel Team 1986

Wins/Notable Races:

SB-1st Newport, Southport, Wrekin, Telford and Windermere. 3rd Tom Simpson Memorial
PB-3rd in Cork, 2nd Flint, 3rd in Wales Criterium
SJ- 1st Stages 1 and 12 Tour of Britain (Milk Race), 1st Castleton, Hanley, Hereford, Holderness, and Willaston. 3rd National Road Championship

Bikes: Despite the press cutting below (a pic and text that was used by Holdsworth in their 1986 bike range brochure), the balance of probability is that the 1986 bikes were newly built by Brian Rourke and simply badged as Holdsworth. Closeup shots show a seat stay design that looks to be a modification of the famous “Rourke” chromed wrapover-probably to placate the sponsor. The rear of the seat tube includes the tell-tale initials “BR”.

Brian Rourke Holdsworth 1986 Rear Seat Tube (1)

Holdsworth were taken over by Marlboro in November 1985 and it is likely that Holdsworth were looking for positive publicity as new owners: it was a common practice at the time to “contract out” special builds, and Holdsworth had no record of building Reynolds 753. The Holdsworth top of the range frame remained the Professional and was made from R531 Pro.

The 1986 R753 bikes featured Mavic SSC groupsets and Iscaselle saddles, Regina freewheels and ITM bars/stems. The frames had rear brake cable guides and twin bottle mounts, fully chromed seat stays and R753 forks. Rider’s names were added in a large handwriting script to the seat tube. Riders each received 2 frames according to sources.

The Team disbanded at the end of 1986, probably following loss of the sponsor, Moducel

Moducel 1986