The Europeans laughed at his old-fashioned bicycle and predicted that he would never make it in the Tour de France, the world's hardest and most prestigious cycling race. But in 1928 Harry Watson, the first New Zealander to enter, became the favourite underdog. He returned home a hero, and cemented his claim to greatness by winning almost every long-distance cycling race in New Zealand during the 1930s, creating several enduring records in the process.