Simon Hook

Simon Hook, a former professional cyclist, was tragically killed whilst riding home from work in November of 1995.  Simon had started his racing career in The Hemel Hempstead CC with riders such as Ian Banbury, John Dowling, Derek Hunt and Eddy LeSurf.
    As a junior in 1972 and as a senior rider he spent many years in France riding for C.C. Perigoudin. He won many top French Classics, and was very respected in the Dordoigne area. Simon returned to the UK and rode for Ashford Wheelers, where he won numerous races including the Bill Temme Memorial at Eastway, in one of his trademark lone attacks.
    Simon turned Professional in 1984 for Clements. In 1985 he switched to the Patrick Schills team to ride with old friends Eddy LeSurf and Kevin Lloyd. This was the year when he so nearly won the British Professional Road Championships on the Isle of Man, where he had been in the break with Ian Banbury (the eventual winner), Dudley Hayton, David Akam, Phil Bayton and Joey McLoughlin. Simon led with 10 miles to go on his own, but was caught in the closing stages, suffering from hunger knock.
   1986 saw Simon keep with Patrick Schills to team up with Lloyd again and new team mates Richard Smith and new professional Andy Palmer. In 1986 and 1987 Simon won the King of the Mountains prize in both British Professional Championships. He also guested for ANC in Classic races such as the Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallone and Gent-Wevelgem.
    At the end of 1987 both Simon and Andy Palmer reverted to the amateur ranks, with Hook first riding for local club GS Invicta, followed CC Romford, sponsored by Palmer’s own APi Resprays company.  Palmer recalls: ‘Simon was such a true friend and club rider. When he first joined the CC Romford, it was always a job getting him to accept free kit, saying he should pay for it’. He always helped the up and coming riders in the club, including Colin Langley and Brian Fleming, who both came from the Api Team.
   For the last couple of years of his life, Simon quit road racing to concentrate on mountain biking with great success. He won the Flinstone series in Essex in 1995, and took two rounds of the Eastern Series.

Simon left his wife Deborah, and sons Alex and Jono, and his daughter Philippa.

ApiBikes.com is pleased to continue to run the Simon Hook Memorial Meeting at Eastway each spring, and all proceeds from the race are put into trust for his children.