Cycling superstar Sir Bradley Wiggins stuns locals with visit to Doncaster social club

Cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins stunned regulars at a Doncaster social club by dropping in to pay tribute to a local Tour de France hero.
Sir Bradley Wiggins came to Harworth to pay tribute to Tommy Simpson.Sir Bradley Wiggins came to Harworth to pay tribute to Tommy Simpson.
Sir Bradley Wiggins came to Harworth to pay tribute to Tommy Simpson.

The Tour and Olympic gold medal winning cyclist visited Harworth Sports and Social Club to tour the museum dedicated to the area's very own cycling hero - Tommy Simpson.

Tommy's nephew, local man and sports journalist Chris Sidwells, accompanied Sir Bradley as he browsed memorabilia dedicated to one of his childhood cycling heroes.

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According to reports, Sir Bradley spent around 25 minutes looking at displays including some of the actual cycling kit worn by Tommy, bikes and other memorabilia.

Tommy, who tragically died in the 1967 Tour de France, grew up in Harworth and the village has become a shrine to cycling fans from around the globe.

Ian Gordon, who works at the club, said he almost went unrecognised.

"He just called in to move around a few bits with Chris Sidwells and we had had no idea he was coming," he said.

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"I just asked him if he wanted a drink but he wasn't bothered. Nobody really recognised him to be honest and we didn't know much about it until he'd gone."

One of the members of the social club, who was shocked to see Sir Bradley stroll through the door at lunchtime on Monday, December 5, said: "It was a real surprise when we realised that it was Sir Bradley Wiggins.

"I asked him if I could shake his hand and he was more than happy to do so. He also let me take his photograph holding Tom's Peugeot bicycle and he printed his name in the visitor's book. He said that it is a lovely museum and he said goodbye to everyone when he left.

"He is an extremely nice man with a lovely nature and it was a pleasure to meet him and talk to him."