Tony Doyle (cyclist)

Anthony Paul Doyle MBE (19 May 1958 – 30 April 2023) was a British professional cyclist.

Tony Doyle
MBE

Personal information
Born	(1958-05-19)19 May 1958 Ashford, Middlesex, England
Died	30 April 2023(2023-04-30) (aged 64)
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Team information
Discipline	Track & Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Six-day
Professional teams
1980–1982	KP Crisps – Viscount (GBR)
1984	RMC – Security Grille Protections (GBR)
1985	RMC – Ammaco (Great-Britain
1986	Ever Ready – Ammaco (Great-Britain)
1989	Ever Ready (Great-Britain)
1990	Ever Ready – Halfords[1]
1991	European Newspaper (Great-Britain)
1993	Neilson Tivoli (Great Britain)
1994	Futurama (Great Britain)
Major wins
World Champion, Pursuit (1980 & 1986), European Madison Champion (1984, 1988 & 1989) European Omnium Champion (1988/89)
Medal record Cycling Representing  Great Britain UCI Track Cycling World Championships 1986 Colorado Springs Individual pursuit 1984 Barcelona Individual pursuit 1987 Viena Points race 1987 Viena Individual pursuit European Track Championships 1984 Zurich Madison 1988 Copenhagen Madison 1989 Ghent Madison 1983 Copenhagen Madison 1985 Copenhagen Madison 1989 Copenhagen Omnium 1983 Herning Omnium Representing  England Commonwealth Games 1994 Victoria Team pursuit 1978 Edmonton Pursuit 1978 Edmonton Team pursuit

Biography

Doyle was born in Ashford, Middlesex on 19 May 1958.^[2] He was world pursuit champion in 1980 and 1986. He was a professional between 1980 and 1995, riding for British teams.

Doyle represented England and won two bronze medals in the 4,000 metres individual and team pursuit events, at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.^[3]

Doyle finished seventh in the team pursuit at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow as part of the British team.^[4] He was not selected for the individual pursuit even though he was the national champion. The place went to Sean Yates. As a result, Doyle turned professional and won the world professional pursuit championship, beating Bert Oosterbosch and Herman Ponsteen. He then raced six-day track races with a variety of partners before achieving great results partnering the Australian Danny Clark.

Doyle became a regular in six-day track races during the 1980s, winning 23 six days. As a result, he was and still is Britain's most successful six day rider. He was noted for fluid and rapid pedalling, which brought him an unofficial UK time-trial record for 25 miles on a 72-inch gear in 56m 30s.

In 1989 Tony Doyle suffered from a serious head injury and multiple fractures at the Munich Six day. He was given the last rites and was in a coma for ten days. He spent six weeks in ITU, followed by two months in a rehabilitation centre. Due to the extent of his injuries it was predicted that he would be unable to return to professional racing.^{[citation needed]}

Doyle received the Bidlake Memorial Prize in 1980 following his first world championship.^[5] He was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to cycling in the 1988 Birthday Honours.^[6]

Doyle took silver in the team pursuit at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.^[7]

Unfortunately, a broken back as a result of a crash at the Six Day in Zurich ended his professional career. After that he remained in sport and in particular cycling. Doyle was elected President of British Cycling in late 1995 on a platform of increasing transparency and accountability. However, British Cycling's board attempted to remove him shortly afterwards: two weeks after this, he resigned.^[8][9] He was the founder director of the Tour of Britain which restarted in 1994.^[10] In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame.^[11] Tony Doyle was Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Board for the London Borough of Southwark.^{[needs update?]}

His son George, was born in 1992. Daughter Gemma, was born in 1995 and his youngest son James was born in 1999.

Doyle died from pancreatic cancer on 30 April 2023, at the age of 64.^[12]

Major results

Track

1978

Commonwealth Games

3rd Individual pursuit

3rd Team pursuit

1980

1st Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

1981

1st Individual pursuit, National Track Championships

2nd Omnium, European Track Championships

1983

1st Six Days of Berlin (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Danny Clark)

2nd Madison (with Gary Wiggins), European Track Championships

3rd Omnium, European Track Championships

1984

1st Madison (with Gary Wiggins), European Track Championships

2nd Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

1985

1st Six Days of Bremen (with Gary Wiggins)

1st Six Days of Maastricht (with Danny Clark)

2nd Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

2nd Madison (with Gary Wiggins), European Track Championships

1986

1st Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

1st Six Days of Ghent (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Berlin (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Grenoble (with Francesco Moser)

1987

UCI Track World Championships

2nd Points race

3rd Individual pursuit

1st Six Days of Maastricht (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Copenhagen (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Bremen (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Paris (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Bassano Del Grappa (with Moreno Argentin)

1988

1st Madison (with Danny Clark), European Track Championships

1st Six Days of Munster (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Berlin (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Munich (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Launceston (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Copenhagen (with Danny Clark)

1st Six Days of Rotterdam (with Danny Clark)

2nd Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

1989

1st Madison (with Danny Clark), European Track Championships

1st Omnium, European Track Championships

1st Six Days of Cologne (with Danny Clark)

1990

1st Six Days of Munich (with Danny Clark)

1991

1st Six Days of Ghent (with Etienne De Wilde)

1994

2nd Team pursuit, Commonwealth Games

Road

1976

2nd National junior road race series^[13]

1977

1st Manchester–Rhyl Stage Race

1979

2nd Overall Circuit des Ardennes

1st 13 times in French Road Races

1980

1st 4 times in French Road Races

1981

1st Overall Girvan Three Day

1982

1st Overall Girvan Three Day

1983

1st Kelloggs Nottingham City Centre

1st Stage 5 Sealink International

1984

2nd Overall Sealink International

1st Stage 3

1986

1st Overall Ron Kitching Classic

1st Stage 1

1st Stage 5 Sealink International

1st Kelloggs Westminster City Centre

1989

1st Stage 8 Milk Race

1992

3rd Tom Simpson Memorial RR

1993

1st Stage 3 Rás Tailteann

1994

1st Victor Belmont Road Race

References

1. "Anthony (Tony) Doyle". Cycling Website. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012.
2. "Anthony Doyle MBE". British Olympic Association.
3. "1978 Athletes". Team England.
4. "Tony Doyle Biography & Statistics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
5. "The Recipients since 1933 when the Trust was formed". The F. T. Bidlake Memorial Trust.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
6. United Kingdom list: "No. 51365". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 June 1988. p. 13.
7. "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.
8. "Doyle resigns as president of federation". independent.co.uk. 9 April 1996. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
9. Blackhurst, Chris (1 December 1996). "Sproat puts a spoke in cycling's big plans". independent.co.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
10. "Tony Doyle". British Cycling. September 2004. Archived from the original on 11 September 2005.). In 2007 Tony was part of the winning bid team to host the Grand Départ of the Tour De France in London.
11. "50 Cycling Heroes Named in British Cycling's Hall of Fame". British Cycling. 17 December 2009. Archived from the original on 20 December 2009.
12. "Tony Doyle: British former world champion track cyclist dies aged 64". BBC Sport. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
13. "Junior National Series Winners". Bikesy. Retrieved 18 December 2008.

External links

• Interview with Tony Doyle, Cycling News, 8 September 2004
• BBC Interview with Tony Doyle, 2 September 2006 (Video)