Race for the Muratti Cup at Manchester Wheelers' Annual Meet (1901)

Exciting scenes of amateur cycling's 'Race of Champions' at Manchester's Fallowfield track.

Cycling was an immensely popular sport in the Edwardian era: some 18,000 spectators attended this day of events held on Saturday 13 July 1901 at Manchester Athletics Ground. We see the start of a 2-mile motor race, together with generous coverage of the day's main competition, the 10-mile cycling race for the Muratti Cup, won by Roland Jenson of London Polytechnic.

The film also gives us a rare glimpse of filmmaker James Kenyon - one half of the Mitchell and Kenyon partnership - who can be seen with beard and hat standing beside Jenson after his victory, encouraging him to engage with the camera and whipping up interest among the surrounding fans.