Tony Doyle (cyclist)

Tony Doyle
MBE
Personal information
Born	19 May 1958; Ashford, Middlesex, England
Died	30 April 2023 (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
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
European Track Championships
Representing England
Commonwealth Games

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

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?]}