RIP Mick Ives, 1939-2024

Cycle phenomenon Mick Ives passed away this week. Here’s a tribute to him, written by Greenleaves Cycling’s Rory Hitchens:

RIP Mick Ives: 10 August 1939 – 18th January 2024

Mick Ives was a force of nature, one of a kind, a true cycling legend. They just don’t make them like Mick Ives anymore.

Mick died peacefully in the early hours of yesterday in Coventry Hospice. He leaves behind his wife Sheila and daughter Angela. Mick was admitted to Coventry Hospital and then the hospice, in early October after a series of heart attacks. The doctors became increasingly stunned by Mick’s stamina and determination to survive as long beyond what they predicted as possible. His heart was beating at only 20% it’s normal rate, but Mick’s 20% is our 100%. He enjoyed defying the odds throughout his illustrious cycling career, right up to his final hours.

Following an early career as a draftsman working with Sir Alex Moulton on his original bike designs, Mick Ives dedicated himself entirely to his passion of cycle racing. He ammassed 81 British Championship Titles and 8 World Masters Cycling Titles including becoming the World Cup Time Trial Champion. In 2005, as a 65yr old pensioner, Mick became the only cyclist to complete the Tour de France route in one day less than the race itself. He has been the only British Male athlete to represent GB internationally at Road Racing, Track, Time Trial, Mountain Biking and Cyclo Cross disciplines and to win National Titles in a single season for Road Racing, Time Trial, Mountain Biking and Cyclo Cross.

There will never be another Mick Ives.

Mick’s cycling career spanned four decades and included managing and racing for British Teams. On the road: Viscont Cycles; Peugeot Cycles; Ever Ready. For Mountain Biking: Ridgeback; Scott UK; Saracen Bikes, plus the 1990 British National Mountain Bike Team at the inaugural UCI World Mountain Bike Championship, Durango, Colorado USA.

Always popular with the athletes, Mick knew how to blend his experienced training methods with a light-hearted and motivational persona that brought out the best in countless Professional and Amateur cyclists alike.

Throughout his whole life Mick loved to help people get into cycling and was a classic Club Cyclist himself. In the late ’90s, alongside running his own bike shop, he formed his MI Racing Team and club. To this day many cyclists have benefitted, and still are benefitting, from Mick’s ties with the cycle trade. Sponsors who have supported the team over many years include brands such as Thule Roof Racks, KinesisUK cycles and a major backing from Jewson builder’s merchant that still sponsors MI Racing now and into the future.

Many tributes to Mick are now appearing on social media and talk of his never ending support and passion of bringing cyclists into and up through the sport. Even from his hospice bed, Mick penned a letter to British Cycling that secured National Championship Titles and Jerseys for the 70+ age category in Mountain Biking and Cyclo Cross. He was pioneering to the end.

There will only ever be one Mick Ives.

Tributes, Stories and Photographs can be shared on the Facebook group “Celebrating Mick Ives the cycling legend” where details of a Coventry gathering to celebrate Mick’s amazing life will be posted in due course.

Those who wrote to Mick whilst he was in Coventry Hospice included cycling greats and industry leaders such as: Steve Douce; Magnus Backstedt; Sally Reid; Nick Craig; Gary and Glen Coltman; Rick Stanforth; Roy Hunt; Pete Tomkins; Jough Watson; Steve Behr; Geoff Waugh; Alistair McLean; Tim Davies; Steve Joughin; Nick Craig; Julian and Tim Gould; Mick Bennet; Oli and Rachel Beckinsale; Robert Thackeray; Chris Young; Rory Hitchens; Rob Warner