Cheadle's John Herety will be inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame at the 2026 British Cycling Awards, presented by Lloyds, in Manchester on November 14. The 68-year-old will step onto the stage with thoughts of making his mum, Marjorie, proud.
A Career Spanning Racing and Directing
Herety raced as a professional before becoming the first director to win the Tour de l'Avenir with a British rider and serving as director of racing at the Great Britain Cycling Team for six years. He still looks back fondly on his early years riding in wool kit.
"My mum was my biggest supporter. She would have been so proud to know I'd been nominated," he reflected. "We came from a fairly poor background. Our house was only heated by two open fires, and we only ever lit one of them. Lycra clothing only came in around 1979 or 1980, so in the early part of my career, before I'd managed a little bit of success, it was all wool shorts."
Early Career Highlights
In 1980, Herety competed at the Moscow Olympics, won a stage of the Peace Race in Chemnitz in East Germany, and finished third at the British National Road Race Championships, a race he would go on to win in 1982.
After his racing career, he turned to directing and organising, most recently working with British Cycling at the World Championships in Montréal as a manager. "I knew my own limitations as a rider and quite early on, I knew I'd got the best out of myself," said Herety. "You could learn from that aspect of it. Helping people maximise what they've got, identifying that in younger riders and giving people a platform to try to do their best and get the most out of themselves."
Proud Achievements and Legacy
Herety lists winning the Tour de l'Avenir as director with Joe Blackmore in 2024 among his biggest achievements, while winning the National Road Race Championships with Kristian House in 2009 against riders like Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins ranks highly.
Beyond the visible success on the podiums, Herety is equally proud of his ability to facilitate and help each individual get the most out of their aptitude for the sport. "We had success with riders, but I think I'm even prouder of the staff who worked with me. I was very good at surrounding myself with people who knew what they were doing," he added.
"The list of soigneurs and mechanics who've gone on to work at WorldTour level is vast. Again, that's what I'm proud of, the staff and riders who came through the system and spent time with me, and who are still in the sport, either as coaches or in other roles."
Herety remains motivated by the feeling he gets in the car during races. "It's the sweaty palms. On the day of the time trial in Montréal, I got in the car and drove behind the riders. I still got a slightly upset stomach and sweaty palms, which is a sign that we still love it."
