83-year-old to ride Silverstone Time Trial this weekend

Hundreds of people will take part in the first Silverstone Time Trial Challenge this Sunday. Despite having retired from time trials on several occasions, they will include Denis Hedges, who is now 83 years old.

The inaugural event, which takes place on the Silverstone racetrack, will feature a one lap (3.6 mile) challenge, a 10-mile challenge and a 25-mile challenge. There will also be a leisure ride and ‘family laps’.

Hedges will be racing over 10 miles. Speaking to the Swindon Advertiser, he said: "I am looking forward to the general atmosphere and perhaps meeting people I know. I am also looking forward to admiring the bicycles."

He told the newspaper that he had started time trialling in 1949. "I got better and faster when I was 60. I have 'retired' several times but ride local club events."

In 2013, Hedges raised almost £2,000 for the Make a Wish Foundation after riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats.

"I rode the Castle Coombe 10 mile circuit on my 80th birthday, followed by cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats solo a month later. It took me 11 days to complete it."

Hedges hopefully has many years of cycling ahead of him. He is after all young enough to be Robert Marchand’s son. In 2014, the Frenchman – the hour record holder for the over-100 age group – celebrated his 103^rd birthday by cycling up the 10km col that bears his name.