Rapparee87 wrote:
Riders from the Eastern Bloc riding the Ras Tailteann here in Ireland in the 80s always came with dozens of Barums to flog on before they went back, they would tell the bosses back home they just had a lot of punctures!

Oh yeh, I remember same in milk race and sealink international. I knew a few lads who rode them and told us the same.
The eastern block riders also used to go on walkabouts, guess it was their chance to see the outside world. If they were late in after curfew time, the initial thoughts were that they had defected and all their staff would be running around, making calls and panicking
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