Former national TTT champion Brian Phillips dies

Brian Phillips, a former national team time trial champion, died yesterday at a team time trial event in Italy. He had recently turned fifty-one.

Phillips was riding in the Cronosquadre della Versilia Michele Bartoli in Tuscany (a 37.5km eight-man team time trial organised by former Italian professional Bartoli) - when he fell from his bike.

Early reports suggest that he did not die from injuries sustained in the fall, suggesting that a possible health problem caused the incident.

Phillips was riding the event with several members of the East Grinstead CC.

A close friend and training-buddy of former professional Sean Yates, he had been a long time member of the club.

He also enjoyed a spell riding for Manchester Wheelers in the 1980s where he was a member of the team time trial quartet that won the 1985 National Championship and part of the winning team in the 1983 National 50-mile and 12-hour championships.

In a recent outing, Phillips was - with Steve Dennis and Christian Yates - part of the winning team in the veteran team category at the East Surrey Hardriders .

Outside of cycling, he was a successful businessman and a family man. According to those that knew him, he was kind and modest, and universally popular amongst those he rode with.

He is survived by his wife, Claire, and three children.