‘Brian is still in greatdiscomfort’

Mr Robinson, 83, suffered a broken collar bone, six broken ribs and lacerations to his arms after the collision last week. He had been to Castleford with friends last Wednesday.

Mr Robinson was on his way home at 1.20pm when he was involved in a crash with a Volkswagen Passat in Lees Hall Road, Thornhill Lees.

His son-in-law Martyn Bolt said the healing process could take a month to six weeks at least. “He is still in great discomfort and pain. As you can imagine it’s very difficult to get comfortable when you have broken ribs,” he said. Coun Bolt said his father-in-law was grateful for the ‘get well’ wishes.

Mr Robinson was the first Briton to finish Tour de France in 1955 and the first to win a stage three years later. He played an important role in securing the Grand Depart’s visit to Yorkshire earlier this month.

Mr Robinson was on the final leg of his ride after he left his friends, so finding witnesses to the incident has been difficult.

Sgt Rick Lyon, of the Western Area Safer Roads Team, said: “I would urge anyone who was in the area around the time of this collision and either saw the collision itself or the circumstances leading up to it to call either PC Warren Pickard or myself in the Western Area Safer Roads Team on 101.”