Dutch TT Assen 1954

In the north of Holland is the town of Assen, the home of the Dutch TT, one of the greatest international motorcycling events of the year. It's Friday night and it's Holland. And for the next 24 hours, this will be the noisy centre of the motorcycling world. This is the time to eat smoked eel and to follow it up with fresh-cooked poffertjes. People of all sorts go motorcycling, and even if you can't afford to enter the Garden of Allah, you may still be able to bring your wife on the pillion. The fair has become a traditional part of the Dutch TT. After all, everyone comes to motorcycle racing to enjoy themselves, though their ideas of pleasure vary. Dawn at the circuit, and the grandstand seats wait for the expected crowds. Even at this bleak hour of the morning, people are stirring. But although this is the wettest and dreariest summer in living memory, thousands have camped here all night and risked the weather. It's cold and misty, but it hasn't rained. There is such excitement in the air that no one blames you if you can't sleep properly. The weather is promising, and good weather means higher speeds with perhaps new records. Nearly everybody is awake now, and it's time for the AJS team manager to get Rod Coleman up. But however you spend the night, there's nothing like fresh air and a bowl of good Dutch soup first thing. Many riders camp near the circuit. Several families are here too. This is Holland, the country famous for its windmills and for its hospitality, and here are some of the most welcome visitors. Ray Amm from Rhodesia won this year's Isle of Man TT and has often shown that his fantastic courage and riding ability alone can give him a lead. It's breakfast time for Geoff Duke. Geoff has a rare and natural genius for racing that has made him the finest rider in the world today and given him the World Championship three times. Haas from Germany is another world champion, but with a small 125cc machine. Behind him is the young Austrian 250 champion Hollaus, who so tragically lost his life later in the year. Wünsche has been well known as a rider since the '30s and hasn't lost any of his skill. And in this part of the world, everyone appreciates the finer points of motorcycling. Rod Coleman has found some old friends. This popular and unassuming New Zealander won this year's Isle of Man Junior TT. This isn't Phil Heath, but it is his bike. Phil is one of the most successful independent British riders. Bob McIntyre is as Scottish as they make them and has come right to the front in just two years. Bob is out with Rod Coleman's sister and Reg Armstrong of the Gilera team. The mechanics are loading Reg's bike. It's time to get down to the circuit. Over 100 different machines have been brought here for the day's racing, the very latest models belonging to the famous factory teams and many others that are privately owned and maintained. Leo Simpson is riding a works bike instead of his own today. Pete Murphy, like most private owners, races just for the fun of it and has to do all his own dirty work. Betty Quincey has come all the way from Melbourne to look after Maurie. It's a hard life, but you should be able to cover travelling expenses if you're not unlucky. And there are the Dutch riders too. Piet Knijnenburg is also a garage owner and a publican. Muilwijk is a fitter in a Rotterdam garage. He's designed and built his own machine. But no matter who built your bike, there are plenty of experts to help. This is part of the great travelling circus of trade representatives that follows the riders round Europe and gives practical help as well as advice. They have plenty of experience too, for many of them have been doing this sort of thing all their life. A race like this is quite a problem in spectator and traffic control, for there'll be at least 150,000 people coming. There's lots to eat and drink, for this is going to be a full day's sport with four separate races for bikes of different capacities. The smallest have a capacity of 125cc, little more than one good mouthful. There are other classes for other capacities. The largest and fastest machines have a capacity of 500cc, roughly one pint. But instead of dreaming of bikes, let's spend the time taking a quick look. These machines are not only used to win races, but also to try out all sorts of different ideas and designs. Some have two cylinders, some have four, and others have only one. In all this, an important part is played by the works teams of riders. The Guzzi team has four riders. Alano Montanari is always cheerful and he's tough too. He used to crash bikes for a living. Enrico Lorenzetti comes from Milan. He is one of the best and most successful Italian riders today. Ken Kavanagh left Australia in 1951, and this is his first season with the team. Fergus Anderson is the captain of the team, and not only enjoys his racing, but also delights in being a provocative journalist. What a crowd, and they're not all motorcyclists, in spite of the hats. And what a wonderful day. There's more danger from melting tar than from rain. Ken Kavanagh is ready for the first event of the day, the 250cc race. Ken's got tough opposition from the German works team of NSU's. Number 4 is ridden by Hollaus. By his side is Haas. Only a few minutes now to the start and the culmination of a year's work by the secretary and all the officials. It's a programme to be proud of, for there will be four races on the 10-mile circuit. The first race is 10 laps, just over 100 miles. The German NSU's are in the lead as they leave De Haar and streak towards the first corner. Haas's NSU leads round Bartelds Bocht. Haas leads at Oude Tol. Halfway and into Hooghalen. Haas leads round Laaghalerveen. The last bend, and Haas on the NSU leads by six seconds. Hollaus is second on another NSU. Baltisberger third on yet another NSU, and Ken Kavanagh fourth on a Guzzi. The 10-mile lap was completed in just over six and a half minutes, a new class record. Look how Haas leans his bike over, there's hardly an inch to spare. On his second lap, Haas shatters his new record by no less than 17 seconds. Hollaus is second. Ken Kavanagh has passed Baltisberger. Ken is just holding his third place. Five laps gone and five to go, and Ken is still third. But on the sixth lap, Baltisberger gets by. The last lap, and Haas on the NSU leads by over 45 seconds. Hollaus's NSU is second. Baltisberger on another is third. Ken Kavanagh on the Guzzi is fourth. Haas wins the first race, with the NSU's first, second and third. Werner Haas has given a wonderful exhibition of riding and has won at an average speed of over 95 miles an hour, a new record for the race. The first victory has gone to the German rider of a German machine. The 350s are next, with Ray Amm and Rod Coleman among the 40 starters in this 12-lap race, 120 miles. Here's Hoffmann, of the German DKW team, with Hobl and Wünsche. The AJS works team and the factory Norton are running. There is also a strong Guzzi team from Italy. Hobl's DKW leads for Germany. The Italian Guzzis take the lead through Hooghalen, with Fergus Anderson first and Lorenzetti second. Hobl is now third. Fergus Anderson has broken the 350 lap record at over 93 miles an hour. Fergus is getting well away. Lorenzetti is second. Montanari and Ray Amm are neck and neck as they go into the straight. Montanari leads Ray as they approach Oude Tol. Ray is now third. Poor Montanari. Hobl is now fourth. McCleary has come off at Hooghalen, and his bike is too damaged to continue. The pace is telling. Piet Knijnenburg is in trouble now. Phil Heath was missing for over ten minutes and has just arrived. Motorcycle racing can make a heavy demand on the courage of others besides the riders. Halfway through the race and Fergus Anderson leads comfortably. Lorenzetti is second, and Ray Amm and is third. While Rod Coleman and Bob McIntyre are neck and neck. Four British riders are in the first five places. Here comes gallant Montanari. Wünsche is at Laaghalerveen, and Lomas at the pits. Two laps to go and Fergus Anderson leads. Lorenzetti is still second, but Ray Amm is missing. Ray has stopped in Hooghalen. Fergus won the race at an average of over 97 miles an hour, a new race record and an example of courage for only a few weeks before he crashed in the Isle of Man and broke two bones in his foot. Lorenzetti is second on another Guzzi. Rod Coleman and Bob McIntyre are third and fourth on their AJS's. A win for a British rider with an Italian machine. And now it's time to stop for lunch. The next race is for the 125s, the smallest bikes of all. Seven laps, just over 70 miles. Hollaus leads on the German NSU. Hollaus leads through Hooghalen, with the MV's of Ubbiali and Copeta on his tail. Hollaus does his first lap at over 82, a new class record. Hollaus leads on the third lap, but another NSU with Müller is now second. There are plenty of retirements. Copeta was in fourth place, and so was Cecil Sandford. The last lap, and Hollaus on the NSU goes through to win. Müller's NSU second, and Ubbiali's MV third. Hollaus wins at a record speed of over 85. A win for an Austrian rider on a German machine. Everyone must get well behind the barrier now, for the next race is the longest and the fastest of the day, the 16-lap race for 500s, 160 miles. One of the first to appear is the man they all wait to see, their own Dutch rider, Drikus Veer, on one of the latest Italian Gileras. Dickie Dale is a British rider with another Italian machine, an MV Agusta. Another of these fast four-cylinder bikes is to be ridden by Carlo Bandirola. Carlo is well known in Italy as a trials rider. Nello Pagani, one of the steadiest Italian riders, is also with the MV team. Many British hopes are behind the latest streamlined Norton of Ray Amm. Most people expect Geoff Duke to win, for he's not only the finest driver today, but the new Italian Gilera is proving very fast. But as every rider knows, a lot can go wrong before a race is over. Here are some last instructions for Reg Armstrong from Taruffi. Bob McIntyre has a clean plug fitted ready for the start. While Piet Knijnenburg gets his spare and a few last words of advice as the two-minute signal goes. It's a Gilera, it's Geoff Duke in front, with Fergus Anderson's Guzzi right on his tail. Ken Kavanagh is in trouble with his brakes. Two more are running out of road. This isn't Phil Heath's day. Geroge Morgan has also been off on his own. It's Geoff and Fergus with Ray Amm's Norton third. Bob McIntyre, Rod Coleman, Bandirola, Dickie Dale. A warning flag. Eric Houseley drops his bike right on the corner. The end of the first lap, and it's Geoff's Gilera just two seconds ahead of Fergus's Guzzi and Ray's Norton. The MV's have overtaken the AJS's. Look how they lay their bikes over. One lap, and that's all, after weeks of preparation. On the long straight, the Gilera is doing well over 140 miles an hour. The second lap and Duke leads by five seconds. Rod Coleman has passed Dickie Dale. Geoff has increased his lead, but Fergus now has Ray right on his tail. Duke leads past the pits with 12 seconds in hand. And here they come, Ray is challenging Fergus. Fergus looks over his left shoulder as Ray takes him on the inside. Twelve laps to go and Geoff Duke on the Gilera leads. Ray Amm on the Norton is second, with Fergus Anderson's Guzzi third. Then it's Bandirola, Dale, Coleman, McIntyre. It's quite difficult to know just what is happening unless you keep a careful check on every bike. The riders themselves would have little idea of their position if it wasn't for help from their pit. Annette Heath is signalling to Phil. A check is being kept here for Geoff Duke. All Geoff needs to know is that he now leads by 20 seconds. No wonder Taruffi looks pleased. Jill Amm can be well satisfied that Ray is holding his lead on Fergus. Here's a good scrap for fifth place between Dickie Dale's MV and Rod Coleman's AJS. But if some take this calmly, the scrap for ninth place has the whole crowd on their toes, for the Dutchman Drikus Veer has just passed two Italian works riders. The Dutchman leads the Guzzi of Montanari and Pagani's MV. Veer leads but Pagani's MV is now in front of Montanari. A great effort by Montanari puts him ahead. Montanari leads, but he's in trouble with the gear pedal. It's Pagani now, but there's no stopping Montanari today, he's back already. It may be only for ninth place, but this is racing. Six laps and Geoff Duke on the Gilera leads, 30 seconds ahead of Ray Amm's Norton. Fergus Anderson's Guzzi is third. Bandirola's MV fourth. And the AJS of Rod Coleman is ahead of Dickie Dale's MV. Here comes the Dutchman, Veer is back in ninth place. Almost immediately Pagani takes the lead, but he leaves right down the escape row. The race is halfway through, and the Gilera going faster than any other bike, as Geoff finishes his eighth lap. In Ray Amm's pit, they let him know that he's now 38 seconds behind Geoff in second place, and that Fergus is eight seconds behind him. Quincey, Ahearn and Murphy are now on their eighth lap, three and a half minutes behind Geoff. Nine laps and Geoff Duke has increased his lead to 43 seconds. Ray Amm is second and Fergus Anderson third. But now Bandirola is right up on the tail of the Guzzi. Ten laps and only six to go. Bandirola is now third and has passed Fergus Anderson. On his 12th lap, Geoff Duke goes faster than ever. Watch his line through Hooghalen. He doesn't waste a foot or a fraction of a second. A lap in 5 minutes 49 seconds, an average of over 105 miles an hour. Ray Amm is just under a minute behind and over 20 seconds ahead of Anderson. The crowd are pleased too, for Veer has now passed Pagani into eight place. But on the 14th lap, there is a dramatic change. Geoff Duke leads at Laaghalerveen. And then it's Bandirola and Fergus Anderson, both in front of the unfortunate Ray Amm. With barely two laps to go, Ray is out with a split tank. And now all eyes are on the battle for second place between the MV and the Guzzi. Fergus Anderson is riding as never before. He's taken second place from Bandirola. At Laaghalerveen, both touch the grass, but both keep going. And now Geoff Duke is starting his last lap. The race is nearly over. But there's a thrill for the crowd as Pagani and Veer fight it out in front of the grandstand. And Veer gets in front. Pagani is back again. And now to the crowds' delight, it's Veer. Meanwhile, Geoff gets nearer to the end of his wonderful ride. Geoff Duke wins. Fergus Anderson is just holding second place. With Bandirola on the grass, Fergus Anderson comes in second. Bandirola is third. Nearly 20 seconds behind is Rod Coleman, with Dickie Dale fifth. Bob McIntyre is sixth. Veer is leading Pagani through Hooghalen. Veer is still leading at Laaghalerveen. But Pagani just leads Veer across the line as they take seventh and eighth paces. Geoff Duke has won on the Gilera at a record speed of over 104 miles an hour, a magnificent win for a British rider on an Italian machine. Fergus Anderson on the Guzzi has averaged over 102 for his second place. As Geoff Duke takes the honours, the Dutch rider Veer stands by his side, a tribute to all those in Holland who have helped to make such a success of the race known affectionately to all as the Dutch TT.