A SURGEON became a comeback king to complete a treacherous leg of the Tour de France just eight weeks after breaking his collarbone.

As an orthopaedic surgeon at Basingstoke hospital, Jonathan Hobby is used to dealing with breaks and fractures.

However, the 44-year-old was on the treatment table himself just two months before he was due to ride the 169km mountain stage from Montelimar to Mont Ventoux.

Thankfully Mr Hobby, of Ecchinswell, recovered from the break he sustained after falling off his bike while training, and managed to complete the leg of the Etape de Tour de France – which is for amateur cyclists – in eight hours and 49 minutes.

He rode the leg on July 20 to raise money for St Michael’s Hospice in Basingstoke.

He said: “This is known as one of the toughest Tour legs. Mont Ventoux is where the British cyclist Tom Simpson died from exhaustion, and there were plenty of people struggling as I rode up it.

“Breaking my collarbone was not the ideal preparation, but thankfully I used a static machine to get myself fit in time.

“I finished 4,472nd, burned more than 7,500 calories and drank seven litres of fluid in completing the ride. Money I have raised will go to St Michael’s Hospice, which does fantastic work and hopefully the money will still pour in.”

There is still time to donate to the fundraising appeal – visit justgiving.com/jonathan-hobby.