Tony Doyle (cyclist)

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Tony Doyle

| honorific_suffix = MBE

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1958|05|19|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Ashford, Middlesex, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|4|30|1958|5|19|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| height = {{convert|6|ft|1|in|abbr=on}}

| weight =

| currentteam =

| discipline = Track & Road

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Six-day

| amateuryears1 =

| amateurteam1 =

| proyears1 = 1980–1982

| proteam1 = KP Crisps – Viscount (GBR)

| proyears2 = 1984

| proteam2 = RMC – Security Grille Protections (GBR)

| proyears3 = 1985

| proteam3 = RMC – Ammaco (Great-Britain

| proyears4 = 1986

| proteam4 = Ever Ready – Ammaco (Great-Britain)

| proyears5 = 1989

| proteam5 = Ever Ready (Great-Britain)

| proyears6 = 1990

| proteam6 = Ever Ready – Halfords{{cite web|url=http://www.cyclingwebsite.net/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=8332 |title=Anthony (Tony) Doyle |publisher=Cycling Website |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511041554/http://www.cyclingwebsite.net/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=8332 |archivedate=11 May 2012 }}

| proyears7 = 1991

| proteam7 = European Newspaper (Great-Britain)

| proyears8 = 1993

| proteam8 = Neilson Tivoli (Great Britain)

| proyears9 = 1994

| proteam9 = Futurama (Great Britain)

| majorwins = World Champion, Pursuit (1980 & 1986), European Madison Champion (1984, 1988 & 1989) European Omnium Champion (1988/89)

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }}

{{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }}

| show-medals = yes

}}

Anthony Paul Doyle {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (19 May 1958 – 30 April 2023) was a British professional cyclist.

Biography

Doyle was born in Ashford, Middlesex on 19 May 1958.{{cite web| url=http://www.olympics.org.uk/athleterecord.aspx?at=1121| title=Anthony Doyle MBE|publisher=British Olympic Association}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://teamengland.org/commonwealth-games-history/edmonton-1978/athletes|title=1978 Athletes|publisher=Team England}}

Doyle finished seventh in the team pursuit at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow as part of the British team.{{cite web| url= https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/do/tony-doyle-1.html| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200418040740/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/do/tony-doyle-1.html| url-status= dead| archive-date= 2020-04-18|title=Tony Doyle Biography & Statistics| publisher=Sports Reference|accessdate=2012-07-27}} 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|date=June 2011}}

Doyle received the Bidlake Memorial Prize in 1980 following his first world championship.{{cite web|url=http://www.bidlakememorial.org.uk/Recipients.ht |title=The Recipients since 1933 when the Trust was formed |publisher=The F. T. Bidlake Memorial Trust }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to cycling in the 1988 Birthday Honours.United Kingdom list: {{London Gazette |date=10 June 1988 |supp=y |issue=51365 |pages=13 }}

Doyle took silver in the team pursuit at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.{{cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/44752|title=Athletes and results|publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation|access-date=28 August 2019|archive-date=28 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828095829/https://thecgf.com/results/athletes/44752|url-status=dead}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/doyle-resigns-as-president-of-federation-1304172.html |title=Doyle resigns as president of federation |author= |date=9 April 1996 |website=independent.co.uk |access-date=8 May 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/sproat-puts-a-spoke-in-cyclings-big-plans-1312454.html|title=Sproat puts a spoke in cycling's big plans |last=Blackhurst |first=Chris|author-link=Chris Blackhurst |date=1 December 1996|website=independent.co.uk|access-date=9 May 2018}} He was the founder director of the Tour of Britain which restarted in 1994.{{cite web|url=http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/news/2004/09_september/08_Doyle.shtml |title=Tony Doyle |publisher=British Cycling |date=September 2004 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050911093324/http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/news/2004/09_september/08_Doyle.shtml |archivedate=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. In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame.{{cite web| url=http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/sport/article/bc20091216-Hall-of-fame-fifty| title=50 Cycling Heroes Named in British Cycling's Hall of Fame| publisher=British Cycling| date=2009-12-17| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220041110/http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/sport/article/bc20091216-Hall-of-fame-fifty| archivedate=20 December 2009| df=dmy-all}} Tony Doyle was Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Board for the London Borough of Southwark.{{Update inline|?=yes|date=March 2016}}

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.{{cite news |title=Tony Doyle: British former world champion track cyclist dies aged 64 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/65500821 |access-date=5 May 2023 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=5 May 2023}}

Major results

=Track=

;1978

: Commonwealth Games

::3rd 15px Individual pursuit

::3rd 15px Team pursuit

;1980

: 1st 20px Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

;1981

: 1st 20px Individual pursuit, National Track Championships

: 2nd 15px Omnium, European Track Championships

;1983

: 1st Six Days of Berlin (with Danny Clark)

: 1st Six Days of Dortmund (with Danny Clark)

: 2nd 15px Madison (with Gary Wiggins), European Track Championships

: 3rd 15px Omnium, European Track Championships

;1984

: 1st 15px Madison (with Gary Wiggins), European Track Championships

: 2nd 15px Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

;1985

: 1st Six Days of Bremen (with Gary Wiggins)

: 1st Six Days of Maastricht (with Danny Clark)

: 2nd 15px Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

: 2nd 15px Madison (with Gary Wiggins), European Track Championships

;1986

: 1st 20px 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 15px Points race

::3rd 15px 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 15px 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 15px Individual pursuit, UCI Track World Championships

;1989

: 1st 15px Madison (with Danny Clark), European Track Championships

: 1st 15px 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 15px Team pursuit, Commonwealth Games

=Road=

;1976

: 2nd National junior road race series{{cite web| url=http://bikesy.co.uk/features/racing/british-junior-road-series-winners-the-definitive-list/| title=Junior National Series Winners| publisher=Bikesy| accessdate=2008-12-18}}

;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

External links

[http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/sep04/tourbritain04/?id=features/sep08tony_doyle Interview with Tony Doyle, Cycling News, 8 September 2004]
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_4690000/newsid_4697400/4697442.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1 BBC Interview with Tony Doyle, 2 September 2006] (Video)

Category:1958 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:English male cyclists

Category:British male cyclists

Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:UCI Track Cycling World Champions (men)

Category:Sportspeople from Ashford, Surrey

Category:Olympic cyclists for Great Britain

Category:Cyclists at the 1980 Summer Olympics

Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in cycling

Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England

Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for England