Geoff Thomson Made Life Member

Warragul Cycling Club awarded its highest honour, a life membership, to club veteran and stalwart Geoff Thomson at its midyear presentation night on Saturday night.

Geoff joined the Warragul Amateur Cycling Club 34 years ago and has remained a strong continuous member ever since.

Geoff started his cycling days as most do, riding to and from school on a daily basis and finding he loved being out on the bike, at the age of 14 he joined the cycling club and started to race competitively and in all that time has never looked back.

Geoff has represented the Warragul Cycling Club in many races over the years and has become a true cycling legend of the Gippsland area.

At the age of 17 he rode his first Gippsland 3 day tour, an event he won in 1977, and has ridden all but 2 tours ( due to accidents and illness) since. A total of 29 tours in all, a record that is surely never to be beaten.

Geoff’s cycling has not always gone smoothly with Geoff being involved in some very serious accidents throughout his career and on at least two occasions doctors have told Geoff he would never ride again but Thommo soon proved them wrong showing what a tough cyclist he truly is.

Some of the many highlights of Geoff’s outstanding career saw him named the Gippsland Cyclist of the year in 1988 and in 2000 winning the Australian Veterans Cycling Criterium Championship.

In presenting the award to Geoff outgoing president Darren Williams said “ Without Geoff Thomson the Warragul Cycling Club would truly be a poorer place and the work that Geoff does especially with the juniors on Saturdays before senior racing is vital to the continuation of our club.”

In accepting his award a very humble and emotional Thommo said “ He was proud to join this select group of people as a life member and that for all the kids to keep up the good work and train hard to reach your goals.”

This award by no way means that Thommo’s career is on the way down and he will still be seen out and about in the Warragul area doing what he does best, Training.

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