“I am totally overwhelmed by today” – Sir Chris Hoy raises £2.1m for cancer charities

Sir Chris Hoy’s name has long been associated with winning on the track, but in Glasgow he turned his competitive spirit towards a different cause. The six-time Olympic champion, who revealed in 2024 that he has terminal prostate cancer, led thousands of riders at the Tour de 4 charity event. By the end of the day, more than £2.1 million had been raised for five major cancer charities. Fellow British sporting legends Sir Mark Cavendish and Sir Andy Murray joined him in support, helping to turn the event into one of the biggest fundraising days in Scottish sport.

Cycling through his hometown, Hoy admitted the total far exceeded anything he expected when the idea first took shape. “I am totally overwhelmed by today, the support we have received and the amazing people who came to Glasgow – it’s incredible,” he said. “When I first set out to create this event I plucked £1m out of the air as it sounded like a pretty decent amount to raise! Today we have more than doubled that and I am so delighted.” He added: “Every single person who has ridden, fundraised or donated – this is down to you. Thank you.”

The event on Sunday closed with the announcement that £2,135,406 had been collected. The funds will be shared by Breast Cancer Now, Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Maggie’s and Prostate Cancer UK. For Hoy, the size of the response underlined how much people wanted to contribute to a cause that touches so many families.

Since revealing his diagnosis, British legend Hoy has done everything he can to raise awareness and support other families suffering from a cancer diagnosis. More than his incredible Olympic Games success on the track, the last 12 months have shown why Sir Chris Hoy is a true legend both on and off the bike.

GoFundMe, the online platform that supported the fundraising, also praised the achievement. John Coventry, the company’s senior vice president, said: “What we’ve seen in Glasgow is truly extraordinary – thousands of people coming together, led by Sir Chris Hoy, to raise vital funds for cancer charities that make such a difference in people’s lives. At GoFundMe, we’re proud to stand behind the people whose kindness and support made the Tour De 4’s £2 million milestone possible.”

49 year old Sir Chris Hoy is one of the most decorated British Olympians of all time, and between 2012 and 2021 he held the title as the most successful of all. He first struck Olympic gold in Athens 2004 in the 1km time trial, and won 2 golds at the London 2012 games in both the team sprint and Keirin. He has also been a world champion on 11 occasions, and a commonwealth games gold medallist twice.

The scale of the Tour de 4 allowed Hoy to use the momentum for more than a single fundraising target. Alongside the ride, he announced a new initiative aimed at improving the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer. In partnership with PureGym, the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital, patients undergoing hormone therapy will be offered a free one-year membership and six months of structured exercise guidance.

Speaking about the project, Hoy told the Independent: “This is a groundbreaking partnership and initiative which demonstrates the power of the Tour De 4, what it can achieve, and the legacy it will leave. Scientific studies have shown that structured exercise is the perfect complement to many cancer treatments, but we need to break down the barriers that often prevent patients getting consistent and regular physical activity to experience these benefits.

“Exercise has been a fundamental part of my life and never more so than since my diagnosis of prostate cancer. I find it hugely encouraging that the importance of exercise for prostate cancer is being recognised. This is a significant step forward and potentially transformative. I have a long-standing association with PureGym which, more than any fitness organisation in the UK, has the scale, reach and capability to make a demonstrable national impact. I look forward to seeing the results of this initiative in the coming months and years.”

PureGym’s leadership echoed that enthusiasm. Clive Chesser, the company’s chief executive, said: “Prostate cancer, the most common cancer among men, is a terrible disease with nearly 50,000 diagnosed with it each year. For a number of reasons many of these men are not as active as they could be and we want this to change, which is why I am delighted to be announcing this partnership, enabled by our national reach and scale as the UK’s largest gym company.

“We hope that offering free membership to advanced prostate cancer sufferers on hormone therapy will enable thousands, across the country, to benefit from regular exercise, with expert guidance from The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden. As Sir Chris Hoy, with whom we have a long association, has so bravely shown staying active is a great way of managing the disease both mentally and physically and we are proud to be supporting him with his vital mission.”

That message was reinforced by the medical community. Professor Nick James, from the Institute of Cancer Research, explained: “A diagnosis of advanced cancer is devastating. I frequently hear patients being advised by their families that they must take it easy and not overexert themselves whereas in most cases, this advice, while well-meaning, is not usually true. In fact, the opposite is true. There is growing evidence that exercise, as well as improving general well-being, might also directly improve cancer outcomes.”

For Hoy, the combination of record-breaking fundraising and a pioneering new initiative provided proof that the Tour de 4 could be more than a one-off. It has become both a celebration of human spirit and a platform for long-term change in the way cancer patients are supported. His gratitude was clear in every statement he made, and his determination to keep driving awareness and support remains undimmed despite his own diagnosis. No matter what, it is clear that Hoy will keep fighting.