Sir Chris Hoy has revealed that he is competing in the long Le Mans Invitational race to ‘show that life goes on’ for people with terminal cancer.
The legendary cyclist, 49, was diagnosed with Stage four terminal prostate cancer in September 2023 following a routine check on a shoulder strain showed a tumour, before a further scan revealed the primary cancer to be in his prostate which had spread to his bones.
This weekend he will take part in the Dark Horse Stars class of the Mustang Challenge alongside ex-Top Gear presenter Chris Harris, as part of the Le Mans car invtiational race.
The six-time Olympic gold medallist first said he was having cancer treatment last February before he made the prognosis public in October, adding he only had two to four years to live despite undergoing chemotherapy.
Hoy, an 11-time world champion, said his diagnosis was ‘terrifying’.
He told TNT Sports: ‘I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer almost two years ago now, and it shocked me, it rocked my world.
Cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy is competing in the 24 hour Le Mans Invitational this weekend
The legendary cyclist, 49, revealed he had Stage four terminal prostate cancer last year
Sir Chris Hoy became Scotland’s most succesful Olympian during the Beijing Games in 2008
‘It changed everything in one sentence, you’re told that’s not curable, but it’s treatable.
‘So suddenly, you have this death sentence, and it’s terrifying, but I’m here to show that life goes on for many people in that situation.’
The former cyclist, who became Scotland’s most succesful Olympian in 2008, took part in Le Mans proper in 2016, finishing 18th in the 60 car race.
He admitted it was ‘unlike anything else’ he had experienced in sport.
‘It’s always been the endurance event. If you get the chance as an amateur driver, this is the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake, this is the big one,’ he said.
‘I still pinch myself that I got to do it, when you watch on TV or come to watch it live, I still can’t quite believe I was out there, elbows out with the big boys.
Last month Hoy revealed that he is ‘feeling good’ and has entered a ‘stability stage’ amid his battle with cancer.
He offered a positive update on his health, admitting that cancer is not the ‘first thing’ he thinks about in the morning.
Last month Hoy said he is ‘feeling good’ and has entered a ‘stability stage’ amid cancer fight
The father-of-two said he received the ‘biggest shock’ of his life after tumours were found
Sir Chris Hoy’s wife Sarra was told she had incurable multiple sclerosis after his diagnosis
‘I’m feeling good, exercising, riding the bike, busy and most importantly cancer is not the first thing I think about in the morning when I wake up and it’s not the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night,’ he said.
Hoy retired in 2013 before acting as a pundit and commentator for the BBC.
The father-of-two said he received the ‘biggest shock’ of his life after tumours were discovered in his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and rib.
He later released a brave public statement confirming his diagnosis.
‘Initially, it’s not easy,’ he said. ‘We tried to keep it private and keep it to ourselves in the first few weeks and months, just to get our heads around the situation.
‘Our hand was forced initially in that a journalist started snooping around, so we had to make an announcement that I’d been diagnosed with cancer.
‘I was going through treatment at that point, through chemotherapy, but that I was doing OK and would explain more in due course. That was probably the hardest part, explaining the full situation. It was a big step but we knew it was the right thing to do.
‘I think it’s almost not wanting speculation. You want to be sure that the facts are out there. The less you give, the more people are going to speculate and the more the media are going to pry and maybe come up with false information.
