‘Best mate’ brings Bradley Wiggin’s Tour de France yellow jersey home to Hampstead
Heathman has learnt that Bradley Wiggins’ leader jersey has found a home in Hampstead – with the Tour de France champion’s former manager and good friend Richard Allchin.
The Olympic medallist gave his Tour de France yellow jersey to Mr Allchin, of Fitzjohn’s Avenue, at a charity ball at the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm on October 16.
And he was thrilled when the world famous cyclist wrote “Best Mate” on the shirt before handing it over.
“When Bradley gave it to me, he said he didn’t know if I wanted it signed. I said, ‘Don’t be stupid!,’” said Mr Allchin, who sponsored Wiggins through his Hampstead- based publishing firm, Sports and Publicity, until he became a professional cyclist.
“I was so pleased. It was such a nice thought. I said, ‘You can write Best wishes.’ But he said, ‘No, I’ll write this.’”
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Mr Allchin added: “When I was writing to him a couple of days after, I said, ‘Well maybe that message isn’t so true now.’
“He just sent me a kiss back.”
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The cyclist’s former manager has fond memories of drinking with “The Kilburn Kid” at The Flask Pub in Hampstead in his early days as an athlete and they have remained firm friends ever since.
The leader jersey will take pride of place on the wall of his house in a frame that he had specially made for the skin suit that Wiggins wore for his first ever Olympic win in Sydney in 2000.
