If you were around in the heyday of the Six Day circuit, names like Patrick Sercu, Danny Clark, and Rene Pijnen were etched into your consciousness. But among those luminaries, there was one British rider who stood tall: Tony Doyle. “Tony Doyle: Six-day Rider“, penned by veteran cycling journalist Geoffrey Nicholson isn’t just a standard sports biography – it’s an intimate, unvarnished look at the life of one of Britain’s most accomplished track cyclists, weaving together race reports, diary entries, and behind-the-scenes insights from the beer-soaked, cigar-hazed world of Six Day racing.
The Structure – A Life Told Through the Sixes
Nicholson takes an engaging approach to the book’s structure, blending traditional biographical storytelling with firsthand accounts from Doyle’s personal diaries.
Instead of a dry, chronological retelling of his career, the book is framed around the major Six Day races that defined his journey; Ghent, Zurich, Bremen, and of course, Muinich, the scene of both his greatest triumph and his most harrowing setback.
These sections read like immersive race reports, the reader is transported into the thick of the action, where deals were made in smoky race director’s offices or dingy trackside cabins, legs burned in 200-lap chases and fans bayed for blood under the lights of Europe’s legendary velodromes.
Doyle’s own diary entries punctuates each chapter, giving an unfiltered view into his mindset before, during, and after key races.
In Ghent, he recalls the raw nerves before his first start at the Kuipke, the sheer intensity of riding on that tiny, atmospheric 166-meter track, and the sheer exhaustion of back-to-back Madison chases against Sercu and Clark.
In Zurich, we get a taste of the harder, more businesslike Swiss scene where prize money dictated alliances and endurance was king.
And then there’s Munich, first as the site of a defining win with Danny Clark, and later the scene of the horrific crash that nearly ended it all.
Inside the Six Day World – The Rivalries, the Hustle, the Grit
For those who love the underbelly of pro cycling, Nicholson serves up plenty of gold. Doyle’s recollections don’t just focus on the racing but also on the intricate politics of the Sixes.
He details the unwritten codes of conduct in the sport, the delicate balancing act between entertaining the crowd and actually racing, the secret deals between riders, and the pressure to deliver a show worthy of the paying public.
One standout story involves the Ghent Six, where Doyle and Clark, despite their form, found themselves squeezed out of contention by home-favorite Belgians. “You could be flying,” Doyle recalls, “but if the local hero wanted to win, the lap gains suddenly stopped coming your way.” It was all part of the game—after all, Six Day races are as much about business and entertainment as they are about sport.
Then there’s the tale of Zurich, where Doyle and Clark took the win in what he describes as one of his most tactically perfect performances; snatching lap gains at just the right moments, exploiting rivals’ fatigue, and reading the mood of the race to perfection. “Sometimes,” Doyle writes, “you could feel it, the rhythm of the race, when to attack, when to sit in. Those nights were magic.”
The book doesn’t shy away from the lows. Munich in 1989 is retold in vivid, stomach-churning detail.
One moment, Doyle is deep in the hurt box, digging in for another brutal Madison, and the next, he’s in a crumpled heap on the track, unconscious.
The descriptions of his recovery, ten days in a coma, waking up to doctors who weren’t sure he’d ride again, and the months of painstaking rehab, are some of the most powerful passages in the book. And yet, in true Six Day rider style, he doesn’t dwell on self-pity. Instead, he simply focuses on what comes next—getting back to racing.
Beyond the Boards – Doyle’s Legacy
While the book is heavily rooted in Doyle’s Six Day experiences, Nicholson ensures that we get a complete picture of the man. There’s coverage of his 1980 world pursuit title, won in Besançon in a thrilling final against Bert Oosterbosch, and his Commonwealth Games gold medal.
But the real heart of the book lies in his resilience. After the Munich crash, Doyle wasn’t just fighting to ride again – he was fighting to live a normal life.
His comeback, first as a Six Day rider and later as an ambassador for the sport, makes for an inspiring postscript to his racing career.
Final Thoughts – A Must-Read for Six Day Fans
If you love Six Day racing, this book is essential reading. Nicholson captures the essence of the scene; the rivalries, the camaraderie, the sheer physical toll it exacts on the riders.
Doyle’s accounts are candid, often humorous, and always insightful. Whether it’s detailing the brutal grind of back-to-back Sixes or sharing a quiet moment of triumph, “Tony Doyle: Six Day Rider” is as close as you’ll get to experiencing the world of the Sixes without actually throwing a leg over the bike yourself – apart from our own Six Diaries of course.
* * *
“Tony Doyle: Six Day Rider” by Geoffrey Nicholson
- Publisher : Springfield Books (1 Jan. 1992)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 192 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0947655360
- Check prices on Amazon
