Bill's Story
Tagged “The Bike Guy” at a stage race in Quebec by a bunch of teammates that would go on to be the most dominate team in North America in the early 1970’s, Bill Humphreys came from total obscurity to play a key role in the success of the Century Road Club of America’s Raleigh Team.
Bill pioneered the “Domestique” position in the modern renaissance era of US cycling by giving up any of his own ambitions to help his established teammates continue their winning ways.
He would then become Junior National Team road coach with riders like Greg Lemond, Chris Carmichael, Ron Kiefel, Greg Demgen, Thurlow Rogers among other’s who would go on to have great international careers.
After stints with Bicycling Magazine and American Bicycle Group, Bill authored “The Jersey Project”, which was voted ‘Book of the Year’ by Competitive Cyclist. Speaking at book signings has now evolved into public speaking on overcoming roadblocks to success via his competitive days, team reunions, and trips back to Ireland.
I’m watching our ever smiling ambassador Bill Humphreys working the room at a hotel bar in Dublin for the 2019 Tour of Ireland reunion. The reunion was Bill’s baby, a partial replication of the ’73 Tour of Ireland in which Bill, myself, and other club and national team riders competed 47 years ago, representing the USA in an organized European stage race for the first time.
Now, watching him hobnobbing with previous winners Tony Lally and former UCI head Pat Mc Quaid until the wee hours of the morning is a reminder of his evolution of relevance in cycling. While putting down pints may not seem like work, for Bill this is the perfect blend of vocation and avocation, a hallmark of his personality. More significantly, his actions pay behind-the-scenes dividends of recognition for American cycling.
Bill’s forte as a domestique earned him spots in the World Championships and Tour of Newfoundland teams but, his promotional contributions are far more valuable to all of us.
Over the next 47 years Bill would devote himself in many capacities, to move the sport forward. Making the transition from competitor to coach he would go on to be a national team manager, pioneering the soigneur position and taking teams to Europe and Latin America. His riders knew that If you wanted the support to win races, you wanted-needed-Bike Guy as your man to get the job done right.
He would become a contributor as Special Events Marketing Manager for Bicycling Magazine and then form his own sports marketing company producing over 20 international level races, while arranging for cycling teams from the Benelux countries to race in the USA.
As an Author, Bill put together what Competitive Cycling determined was “Cycling’s Book of the Year” in 2011, titled The Jersey Project.
As a journalist he has published articles in Velo-News, Road Bike Action, and The Ride Magazine.
To this day he is a sought after speaker/story teller for bike clubs, civic groups, and schools, on the recent history of the sport and impact it can have on communities.
Bill Humphreys was and remains the consummate USA cycling diplomat who never retires. When the dust settles, we will note the performance of the riders, and applaud the tireless par excellence contributions of Bill Humphreys who has kept the light on in our sport for so many years.
– John K. Howard