18 Facts About Ern Milliken

Ernest Milliken was an Australian Road racing cyclist who performed strongly in distance races and individual time trials.

In 3 consecutive years, 1931,1932 and 1933 Ern Milliken set the fastest time in the Colac to Melbourne 100 miles amateur road race, and in setting the fastest time, Ern Milliken won the Victorian road championship title.

All bicycle racing in that era was on fixed-gear bicycles and Ern Milliken was reported to have ridden 92 gear inches.

Ern Milliken won the race using a 3-speed derailleur made by the Cyclo Gear Company.

Ern Milliken won the Melbourne to Castlemaine again in 1934, knocking 40 minutes off the course record.

Ern Milliken won the 129 miles Goulburn to Sydney in 1932 and twice set the fastest time, in 1932 and 1933.

Ern Milliken rode strongly in individual time trials, often referred to at the time as unpaced races, including the then Olympic distance of 100 kilometres.

Ern Milliken won the 1932 100 kilometres Australian championship time trial at Hobart, Tasmania, but in a rare defeat, he failed to defend his title in 1933, beaten by J Buckley who broke Ern Milliken's record.

Ern Milliken again finished 2nd in the Australian championship time trial in 1934, this time to C Winterbottom.

Ern Milliken won the 104 miles Melbourne to Wonthaggi time trial, and event that the first 100 miles carried with it the title Australian amateur road title.

Ern Milliken was touted as a potential Empire Games and Olympic Games medallist, however no road cyclist was selected for the 1932 Olympics and Ern Milliken did not finish in the 1931 Australian road championship.

Ern Milliken decided not to wait for the 1936 Olympics and turned professional in 1934.

Ern Milliken rode however he did not feature in the results for the first four stages.

Stage 5 was marked by torrential downpours of rain hail and sleet as the riders climbed Mount Buffalo and Ern Milliken suffered a puncture and had to wait more than an hour for a spare wheel.

In 1935 Ern Milliken was part of a team, led by Opperman and organised by Bruce Small, that travelled to England to attack various distance records.

Ern Milliken didn't get the pick of the races and was paid poorly for his efforts.

In 1938 Ern Milliken rode in the Barnett Glass Grand Prix of 160 miles however he crashed and did not finish.

Ern Milliken was reported to have ridden from Sydney to the event.