Bruce Biddle is a champion cyclist whose story reflects both sporting excellence and unwavering integrity.

Born in Warkworth in 1949, Bruce rose from humble beginnings as an Auckland carpenter to become a world class road cyclist through sheer dedication and relentless training.

Standing 1.73m and weighing 63.5kg, Bruce burst onto the national scene in 1969, winning the New Zealand Road Championship and the prestigious Dulux Six-Day Classic from Auckland to Wellington, a feat achieved without winning a single stage, highlighting his tactical brilliance and durability.

That same year, he claimed medals on the track, proving his versatility. His rapid rise earned him selection for the Edinburgh 1970 Commonwealth Games, where he produced one of New Zealand’s most memorable performances. Battling driving rain and fierce winds, Bruce out-sprinted Australian Ray Bilney in a thrilling finish to capture gold in the road race, a defining moment in New Zealand cycling history.

In preparation for the Munich 1972 Olympics, Bruce spent over a year racing in Europe, gaining invaluable experience against the world’s best. His Olympic performance was outstanding: he finished in a blanket sprint for the medals, officially placing fourth.

Days later, when Spanish rider Jaime Huelamo, who had finished third, failed a doping test, Bruce was elevated to third place. However, because he had not been tested immediately after the race, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), following International Cycling Union rules, refused to award him the bronze medal.

Despite efforts by New Zealand officials and later appeals—including a review by IOC President Jacques Rogge in 2002—the decision never changed. Bruce’s case remains one of the most unusual and unfortunate episodes in Olympic history: officially third, yet without a medal.

This controversy never overshadowed Bruce’s integrity or achievements. His decision to seek a drug test immediately after that race, despite his disappointment, demonstrated foresight and honesty. Though turned away by officials at the time, his actions underscored his commitment to fair play. “The result was on the one hand very pleasing and on the other something of a delusion,” he later reflected.

After Munich, Bruce turned professional in 1973 and forged a successful career racing across Europe, eventually making Italy his home.

Bruce Biddle

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Biography

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