Cycling cortege for late Perth cyclist Neil Abbott (45)

Mar 16 2010 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

Fitting tribute for departed bike rider

THE local cycling fraternity turned out en masse to pay their respects to fellow rider Neil Abbott, writes Denis Brown.

Riders from clubs Perth United, Perth City Cycles and Perth CMC – the team that Neil founded – as well as riders from Dundee Wheelers and Dundee Thistle, attended the memorial service on Friday.

Fittingly, a cortege of riders, all wearing Perth CMC racing colours, paved the way for a hearse carrying the 45-year-old cycling fanatic on his final journey to Perth Crematorium.

Neil, former co-owner of Perth’s Bread in Heaven, died on Wednesday, March 3, after suffering a massive heart attack and collapsing off his bike near the top of Perth’s Burghmuir Road around noon.

After Friday’s service, a group of riders, including Neil’s close friend John McLagan, cycled to the spot where their friend had fallen off his bike to further honour him with a minute’s silence.

It is understood that riders have pledged to keep Neil’s Perth CMC team active in his absence as a lasting tribute.

The sudden death of the athlete, who leaves behind wife Fiona and two step-daughters, has left family and friends in shock.

Fiona, who spoke about her love for her husband at the service, married Neil in 2004, a year after the pair opened popular coffee shop, Bread in Heaven on High Street.

Sadly, Neil only sold the business a few months ago with the intention of spending more quality time with Fiona.

While Neil always described Fiona as the best thing that ever happened to him, Fiona referred to her husband – who without fail, every day, would tell her how much he loved her – as the “icing on my cake”.