Bruce Anstey To Miss Isle Of Man 2018 Due To Illness

Thirteen-time Isle of Man TT winner Bruce Anstey will miss the 2018 road racing season due to illness. Forty-eight-year-old Anstey has multiple tumours in his lungs and a tumour in his spine as well as a blood clot in the lung. Anstey's wife Anne Ramsey added on Facebook that he is suffering from illness and is unlikely to be participating in any form of racing this year, while focussing on treatment and recovery. But she also refused to rule out Anstey out of racing in 2018 altogether.

"Unfortunately , Bruce has become ill," Ramsey posted on her Facebook page. "He has multiple tumours in his lungs, a tumour in his spine, and a blood clot on the lung just to kick him while he's down."

"I doubt very much Bruce will see any racing this year, but we won't rule that out lol! He is waiting for a treatment plan and should be starting it very soon. I will try to keep you all updated."

In 2014, Anstey set a new lap record at the Isle of Man clocking over 132 mph (nearly 213 kmph) average speed

New Zealand's Bruce Anstey beat testicular cancer in the late 1990s and continued competing in international road racing. Anstey resides in Windsor, New Zealand, and missed the 1997 Isle of Man TT event a year after making his debut.

But he returned the next year and is currently one of the most experienced riders in the mountain course circuit. His most recent victory came in last year's TT Zero event, and his last superbike win came at the 2015 event, the year after he broke the record for the fastest lap around the 60-kilometre TT course.

Anstey had signed with Padgett's Honda to compete in the Isle of Man TT, North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix. But due to the severity of his illness, he will likely miss the 2018 road racing season. In the 2018 outing, Anstey was also set to once again ride the Team Mugen electric bike in the TT Zero event, a race he has won the past two years.