Cycling legend Les, 81, gears up to take on Dougie Mac’s 100-mile bike ride

Stoke-on-Trent cycling legend Les West has signed up for this year’s Dougie Mac Bike Ride – and has urged others to do the same to show their support for the hospice.

Cycling veteran Les, 81, is preparing to take on the 100-mile race from Stoke-on-Trent to Llangollen having completed it many times before. He is hoping to do this year’s bike ride in under six hours.

He said: “I do it because my father was cared for by Dougie Mac and they were very good to him. I have had friends in the hospice too who were all looked after very well. The team at the hospice do a fantastic job.”

The Dougie Mac 100 Sportive bike ride, on Sunday 14^th September, mirrors the historic Potts 100 route. The route from Stoke-on-Trent to Llangollen harks back to the 70s & 80s as a favourite amongst pro cyclists – including Les. Heading out of Stoke-on-Trent, cyclists will pass through Woore and Audlem on their way to Llangollen, before returning to The Potteries through Nantwich. Along the route, cyclists will take in the beautiful countryside of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire.

And for anyone thinking of signing up for the ride, Les has this advice: “Make sure you are capable and prepared. Do some training to get a few rides in you and get a few miles on your legs.

“Dress sensibly. It’s no good turning up in shorts and a thin vest if the weather is cold or raining as that’s no good for your body, and ride with a group of people who are at a similar level to you. It’s always easier riding with others as you spur each other on.”

Les was a dominant figure of amateur and professional cycling in Britain during the 60s and 70s. He won the Milk Race twice, came second in the world amateur road race championship and finished fourth in the world professional championship.

In 2009, he was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame and was also inducted into the Stoke-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame.

The Dougie Mac 100 Sportive bike ride is one of two bike rides taking place on the same day. The shorter 50km Gravel Route will see participants soak up the sights of Stoke-on-Trent, as they ride down the local canals and bike tracks.

This route is designed to celebrate the best of our city, with cyclists passing by Stoke landmarks including Middleport Pottery, Bathpool Park, Chatterley Whitfield, and Parkhall Country Park. Participants are encouraged to ride as fast or slow as they like, with various stops available en-route for cyclists to grab refreshments.

More information about both bike rides is available here: Bike Ride | Dougie Mac

Photograph courtesy of The Stoke Sentinel.