Gutted to hear the news. I’m inferring a tabloid had the “scoop” and was about to break it. Sobering reminder that even the healthiest of people are not immune to the awful disease
Given that the man has said he did not want this public and is only commenting because some scumbag media outlet forced his hand I wonder if we should pass on our best wishes then move on.
What sort of apocalyptic thundercnt decides it’s their responsibility to tell the country that someone, they don’t know and have zero connection to, has cancer?
“For the sake of my young family, I had hoped to keep this information private but regrettably our hand has been forced.”
Absolute scum behaviour. I wonder which newspaper it was? I assume one of the Sundays, since he’s put it out on the Friday so the scumbag writer involved doesn’t get the splash.
Terrible news today that he has said it is terminal, 2-4 years to live. And then, as if life hasn’t dealt him a shit enough card, his wife has an aggressive form of MS.
So much respect for the big man. The Sunday Times have an article tomorrow, an interview with Chris. The diagnosis is terminal. His wife has MS too. Words fail me.
Such terrible news. At 48yrs old (I think) and with a young family. I really hope that he beats his diagnosis.
As for how the news has come out – which he seems to have been forced to announce before it was leaked. So many journalists are just pure scum. They would do anything for a story with no consideration of the people involved and their lives.
That’s just such sad news. When my wife got his autobiography signed by him for my birthday, he was genuinely surprised that there was such a queue to meet him, despite the book signing being in the centre of Edinburgh, his home city.
What a nice, talented, intelligent and humble bloke.
I use to live in the block next to him at uni. My mate was his neighbour. Apparently a really nice bloke. Always out on his bike when we were all getting smashed
He left our uni after a term to go to Edinburgh. Next time I saw him was when some familiar looking bloke on tv broke the world record to win gold in Athens.
Genuinely shocked and saddened to read this. Especially after seeing him on TV only last night at the track world’s – all seemed OK, and dare I say it, normal.
I grew up watching Sir Chris, and his talents on the track were, and still are some the greatest ever.
^^ It’s been pretty conclusively proven that the links between prostrate cancer and cycling are weak or non existent, though I guess that’s based on more average riders than professionals who spend so much time in the saddle.
Very sad day. And awful for the children. According to the Sunday Times they haven’t told the kids about their mother’s MS. Met him at work, he was of course as lovely as everyone says. It would be nice to see even more of his commentating on track as health permits, but hopefully the children will get some more memories in the coming years.
**** Cancer
**** MS
Worked on both and hit hard personally by the first.
Cancer really doesn’t give a f##k does it? Even an multiple olympic gold medal winner up against it. I hope he can live for a long as possible. This news hits really hard atm.
Shocked.. I thought and hoped he was well again. Maybe it’s the way he’s a mix of real life superhero on a bike as well as such a good guy that makes it hit hard. He always has a moment for people, all that good feeling he’s put into the world will be coming back to him, really hope it helps him and his family for a long while ahead.