Well-known local cyclist Bert Hope passed away at the age of 91 in Noble’s Hospital on Sunday, after a sudden, short illness.

Originally from Manchester, Bert rode for the Royal Air Force CC during his National Service years and then turned professional, riding with the Bev Wood/Silkin Independent team in the 1950s and 1960s.

Throughout his cycling career, Bert was notorious for ‘going from the gun’ in all-out breakaways, causing chaos in the bunch, so he did not always endear himself to some of his fellow competitors who favoured a more cagey, tactical approach. Aware that this antagonised some of his rivals, it encouraged him even more to ride this way.

A regular visitor to the Isle of Man for International Cycling Week, it was on one such visit that he met his future wife, June Hannah, whose family ran the Melrose Guest House in Christian Road, Douglas where he stayed.

In 1959, he competed in the Manx Professional Road Race over the tough Clypse course. The race featured a star-studded field, including five-time Tour de France winner Jacques Anquetil and many of the other top world professional riders.

June and Bert initially made their home in Failsworth between Manchester and Oldham, before returning to the island and taking over the family guest house from June’s mother.

Bert retired from professional racing and worked first as a milk roundsman in Laxey and then for many years as a fitter for the Ind Coope brewery.

Although the process is different today, at that time, ex-professional riders were not permitted to return immediately to the amateur ranks, meaning Bert was unable to compete in the local cycling scene until he turned veteran at the age of 40.

Despite working long hours between his day job and the guest house, Bert squeezed in a quick training session most evenings, usually by riding flat-out to Peel and back before manning the guest house bar each night.

Locally, as a long-time member of Ellan Vannin CC, he was known as a rapid time triallist and still enjoyed causing havoc by attacking at the start of every road race he rode.

On stepping away from racing, he helped the next generation of riders by taking teams away, along with Nick Corkill as their mechanic. Former British professional champion Steve Joughin remembers such trips fondly, noting that there was always an element of adventure involved.

In the 1980s Bert also started coaching riders, giving up many hours of his time, pacing then on an old Honda 90 motorbike, particularly a young Marie Morgan (formerly Marie Purvis) when she started competitive racing and local rider Richard Fletcher.

On retiring from work, June and Bert sold the Melrose and moved to Onchan, before settling into an apartment at Saddle Mews.

Despite suffering from memory loss in recent years, Bert always retained his character and personality, explaining to friends that ‘he was aware that he wasn’t aware’ and was still very much the Bert people knew at the time he passed away.

He will be sadly missed by the Manx cycling community and all who knew him. Bert’s funeral service will take place at the Douglas Crematorium on Friday, March 28 at 1.15pm.

Much sympathy extended to June, daughters Lesley and Paula and their respective families.

RICHARD FLETCHER