Tony Doyle
Tony Doyle
World pursuit champion in 1980 and 1986, Tony Doyle is one of Britain’s most successful track cyclists having enjoyed much success on the Six Day scene.
Having been overlooked for the Olympic individual pursuit spot in 1980 in Moscow, despite being national champion, Doyle turned professional to great effect – winning his first world title months later.
His Six Day success started three years later, with victories in Berlin and Dortmund, before he partnered Gary Wiggins (father of Bradley) to the 1984 European Madison title.
He also paired up with Wiggins to enjoy more Six Day success, but it was his partnership with Australian Danny Clark which proved most fruitful.
The two won at 17 meetings in all, including the Six Days of Ghent in 1986 – one of four victories to arrive in the same year as Doyle’s second world pursuit title, including success in Grenoble alongside the great Francesco Moser.
A life-threatening head injury sustained while racing in Munich in 1989 left him in a coma and even saw him read the last rites but Doyle not only recovered but bounced back to winning ways too.
His final Six-Day title was the Six Days of Ghent in 1991, with Etienne de Wilde, while he also won team pursuit silver at the 1994 Commonwealth Games before a back injury forced his retirement.
Finest moment – Cycling is littered with stories of riders sticking two fingers up to selectors after being overlooked for major races and after finding being national champion was not enough to merit Olympic individual pursuit selection in 1980, Doyle went on to claim the world title just months off turning pro.