Members of Mirfield’s cycling community have paid tribute to one of its local legends, who has died suddenly.

Albert Hitchen, 76, who lived in Mirfield, was a leading figure in British cycling for more than a decade.

During a professional career spanning from 1959 to 1973, he competed in hundreds of races in the UK and also rode in France and Switzerland.

Among his 30 victories, he was twice national elite road race champion – in 1963 and 1965. His other achievements included winning the 275-mile London-Holyhead elite road race in 1961 and 1964 and twice winning the Lincoln Grand Prix.

Mr Hitchen rode for a number of teams, notably Viking Cycles in the early 1960s and Falcon Cycles for the last five years of his racing career.

After retiring from professional cycling, Mr Hitchen resumed his job as a railway engineer at the Ravensthorpe rail sheds and carried out restoration work on a number of locomotives, some of which appeared in TV programmes.

Former Tour de France rider Brian Robinson, 84, who competed against Mr Hitchen during the latter’s early professional career, said: “He was a first class British rider and if anything was a little under-rated. He won lots of events in Yorkshire and England. He was one of the top riders in the country.”

Mirfield Clr Martyn Bolt, secretary of Ravensthorpe Cycling Club where Mr Hitchens was a member before turning pro, said: “I met Albert on a couple of occasions at cycling events. He was very well-respected by his peers and very well-respected in the railway industry.”

Dave Sowerby, of Sowerby Bros cycle shop in Mirfield, had planned to ask Mr Hitchen to cut the ribbon next week at the official opening of Mr Sowerby’s new cycling-themed cafe, Fausto’s.

Mr Hitchen and Mirfield’s other cycling greats appear on a wall of fame at the cafe. Said Mr Sowerby: “It is so sad that this has happened. Albert features prominently at the cafe as a cycling legend.”