Anstey out of TT with cancer
Roads superstar vows to battle back and targets future TT glory
Flying Kiwi Bruce Anstey will miss this year’s TT as he begins a shock battle against cancer. The 12-times TT winner has been diagnosed with tumours in his lungs and spine and told MCN: “The doctors have to find out what type it is. When they know that they will begin radiotherapy or operate straight away.” In spite of the diagnosis, Anstey has not lost his sense of humour. “At this rate, there will be noone left in the top ten at the TT,” he says, referring to the injury problems of fellow TT stars, John McGuinness and Ian Hutchinson. “The North West and TT are definitely out for 2018 but I’m thinking about this year’s Classic TT in August for a racing comeback and have been talking to my team Clive Padgett about next year.”
Anstey first raced at the TT in 1996, taking his maiden win in 2002’s 250cc race. In 2017 he smashed the 250cc Mountain Course lap record as he won the Lightweight Classic TT and finished the year on a high by trouncing Peter Hickman, Dean Harrison and Dan Kneen to win the Ulster GP superbike race on the RC213V-S Padgetts Honda. A TT Senior victory is the only major road race prize that still eludes the 48-year-old veteran, but Anstey isn’t giving up.
“I want to come back and win a TT race when I’m 50,” he smiled. “Clive has promised that the bikes will be there waiting for me so it’s got to be done.”
Kiwi pulls out of 2018 TT and North West
Plans for a comeback at August Classic