title: Dave Akam
text: # Dave Akam
  
  David J. Akam (born 2 November 1960, Camberwell, London) is a retired track and road cyclist. He was active professionally between 1984 and 1987.
  
  ## Early life
  
  David Akam was a track and road cyclist. He was a time-trial specialist of some repute. He was introduced to cycling by his P.E. teacher at Forest Hill school, South London – the legendary British lanterne rouge John Clarey. Akam's early successes in cycling included three British National Track Championships and the Junior Individual Time Trial Road Championship. In 1978 Akam was selected for the English track team in the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, competing in the 4,000 metres Individual Pursuit. Having trained for months with the 1980 Olympic pursuit team squad, Akam fractured his hip in a kermesse crash, putting him out of contention. Akam later said he was "incensed" to not even be named as a reserve. However, that July the 19-year-old Akam broke the British 10-mile time trial record becoming the first ever rider to clock in at under 20 minutes (the record has since been held by Graeme Obree, Bradley Wiggins and Alex Dowsett). The same year he also won the Goodwood Classic individual time trial in a time of 1 hour 2 minutes and 39 seconds – a time that has never been beaten.
  
  Over the next three years, from 1981 to 1983, Akam lived and raced abroad, first in the Netherlands for the Jan Van Erp team, and then France, building a reputation as an aggressive rider with a talent for time trialling. In his second year, Akam won 13 races including the Grand Prix de France, a time trial whose previous winners include Jacques Anquetil, Stephen Roche and Chris Boardman.
  
  In 1983, Akam moved his racing base to France, joining the famous ACBB team, a Parisian amateur team which had helped the likes of Sean Yates and Stephen Roche to the professional ranks. Of this time Akam remembers "I started the season like a maniac, winning five of the eight training races we rode in the South of France. I then rode three Classics and won the three-day Tour de l'Essone stage race". During that year's Tour of Norway, Akam caught the eye of Mercier, Peugeot and Italian legend Francesco Moser, according to Akam, "I must have impressed him for he said if I did a ride in the GP de Nations he would give me a place in his Gis team as a pro". Akam subsequently won the Chrono des Nations and Moser kept his side of the bargain.
  
  ## Professional career
  
  In 1984 he was signed by the renowned Italian team Gis Gelati to help the Italian hero win his first Giro d'Italia. Rumour has it that Akam was signed not only for his big engine, but also due to the fact he rode the same bike as Moser. Akam was immediately nicknamed "Rosso" on account of his red hair. Moser, at the time, was the holder of the hour record. While in Italy, Akam lived with Moser's mother. Shortly after joining Gis Gelati Akam rode for Moser in the Vuelta a España after around only three weeks worth of training – Moser finished 10th overall and Akam pulled out after Stage 11. The team prepared for the 1984 Giro by winning the Team Time Trial event, the Cronostaffetta, and by racing the Tirreno–Adriatico in which Akam showed his form by coming 5th in the prologue time trial. Akam also produced a strong ride at the Giro del Trentino to cement his place on the Giro team. At the Giro, Akam played a key role in delivering Moser to first place in Verona and the first and only pink jersey of Moser's career at the Giro d'Italia. Akam rode most of the Giro on the front for Moser and, even as the tour came to a close, Akam's form was such that he finished 14th in the final stage individual time trial. Until Chris Froome's victory in 34 years later, Akam was the last Briton to ride on a Giro winner's team.
  
  In 1985 Akam was given an extension to his contract and began his preparations for the Giro well by putting in two strong time trial performances at the Tirreno–Adriatico. He again rode the Giro but this time he withdrew after Stage 9 due to a crash. Akam also rode alongside the legendary classics specialist Roger De Vlaeminck whilst at Gis Gelati.
  
  Akam joined the Dutch team PDM–Concorde in 1986 to ride for Pedro Delgado. Akam was offered another extension but in 1987 Akam opted to join the British outfit ANC-Halfords Cycling Team.
  
  Akam retired from cycling shortly afterwards, his career cut short by illness. Akam had raced the Giro, the Vuelta, Paris–Roubaix and Milan–San Remo. Throughout his career, Akam suffered from a mystery illness, he later stated "Moser could not work out why I would be going great guns one day and then doing nothing". Akam on reflection states that his dream move in 1984 to Gis Gelati came too soon because he had no time to deal with his health problems – later diagnosed as hepatitis and a liver that functioned at only 70%.
  
  ## Palmarès
  
  ### 1977
  
      1st National Championship, Track, Pursuit, Juniors
      1st National Time Trial Championship, Juniors
  
  ### 1978
  
      2nd National Time Trial Championship, Juniors
  
  ### 1979
  
      3rd National Championship, Track, Pursuit, Amateurs
      6th National Time Trial Championship Amateurs
  
  ### 1980
  
      1st National Championship, Track, Madison, Amateurs
      1st Goodwood Classic
      2nd National Championship, Track, Pursuit, Amateurs
      2nd Trofeo Valco Couple Time Trial
      3rd National Championship, Track, Team Pursuit, Elite
      4th Trofeo Baracchi
  
  ### 1981
  
      1st National Championship, Track, Pursuit, Amateurs
      1st Trofeo Valco Couple Time Trial
      1st Fayt-le-Franc Criterium
      2nd Trofeo Baracchi
      2nd Neerlinter Criterium
      2nd Itterbeek Criterium
      3rd Prologue Olympia's Tour
  
  ### 1982
  
      1st Grand Prix de France ITT
      1st Trofee Jan Van Erp
      1st Grand Prix Timmermans
      1st Grand Prix der Witten
      9th Overall Sealink Race
         1st Prologue & 4th Stage 4
      2nd Drielanden Omloop
      6th National Road Race Championship Amateurs
      Circuit des Ardennes
         4th Prologue & 5th Stage 3
      55th Overall Étoile des Espoirs
         6th Prologue & 6th Stage 5b ITT
  
  ### 1983
  
      1st Chrono des Nations
      1st Overall Tour de l'Essonne
         1st Stage 3
      1st Prix Novoplastic
      2nd Grand Prix des Nations (Amateurs)
      2nd Grand Prix d'Issoire
      2nd Chrono Madelinos
      2nd Grand Prix de Boulogne-Billancourt
      3rd Stage 2a Tour de l'Eurométropole
      14th Overall Milk Race
  
  ### 1984
  
      1st Cronostaffetta TTT with Francesco Moser and Roger De Vlaeminck
      5th Prologue Tirreno–Adriatico
      137th Overall 1984 Giro d'Italia
         3rd TTT Stage 1 & 14th ITT Stage 22
      7th Trofeo Baracchi
      Vuelta a España
         9th Stage 2
  
  ### 1985
  
      Tirreno–Adriatico
         6th Prologue, 2nd stage 2 TTT & 8th Stage 5 ITT
      1985 Giro d'Italia
         2nd stage 2 TTT
  
  ### 1986
  
      6th ITT Tour of Valenciana
      7th Trofeo Baracchi
  
  ### 1987
  
      28th Overall Milk Race
         3rd Stage 11
      81st Overall 4 Jours de Dunkerque
  