Sir Chris Hoy made a return to cycling over the weekend, completing his first ride since fracturing his leg in multiple places last November. The 50-year-old shared images from his route through the Trough of Bowland in Lancashire, joined by a group of close friends.
‘What a day! First ride back with the lads since I broke my leg mountain biking in November… so great to be back with friends, having fun on the bikes and enjoying the incredible scenery and roads in the Trough of Bowland,’ Hoy wrote on Instagram.
It wasn’t a gentle spin. The ride through the high passes and valleys was demanding – but necessary. Later this month, the six-time Olympic gold medallist will host an exclusive group of riders in Perthshire, covering more than 133 miles and over 2,300 metres of elevation across three days. This ride was a key step in getting there.
‘1400+ metres of climbing was plenty, but the sunshine and views helped distract us from the effort. Fitness is coming back slowly but surely – should be ready for the Gleneagles Hotel weekend in a fortnight,’ he added.
It marks a remarkable recovery from the November crash, which Hoy described as the worst of his cycling career. He spent five days in hospital and required surgery to insert pins into his leg.
‘Worse things happen,’ he said at the time. ‘I’ve been riding bikes for 43 years and it’s the worst crash I’ve ever had. I’m pretty lucky that’s the worst one I’ve had in all those years.’
What to read next
Hoy was back on an exercise bike within a fortnight of returning home, alongside ongoing physiotherapy as part of his rehabilitation.
In September 2023, Hoy was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer and given between two and four years to live. Since going public with the diagnosis in October 2024, he has campaigned to encourage men to get tested and to shift perceptions around terminal illness. He also launched the cycling event Tour de 4, raising money for cancer charities.
Returning to the bike is just one way Hoy is choosing to make the most of his time.
‘You have to look for the positives, you have to look for the opportunities in any situation,’ he told BBC Radio Scotland. ‘When the dust settled, I realised the important things I wanted to do were the small things – the ones we often glaze over.
‘Time spent with your kids, with your loved ones. A moment reflecting as the sun comes up and you have your coffee, and you think, “Ah, it’s wonderful.” We’re so busy that we dismiss those things or move on too quickly. But if you can slow things down – for all of us, not just anyone in my situation – it changes your perspective.
‘What’s done is in the past, you can’t change that. And what’s coming in the future, you don’t know – good or bad – so there’s no point worrying about it now.’
Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_
