Olympic cyclist rescues lost dog using headphones for lead while on training ride

'I found him on the side of the road, shivering and looking a bit lost'

A professional cyclist and Olympic gold medallist rescued a lost dog while out on a training ride, using his headphones as a lead.

The dog, named Bolt, was returned to his owner after being found by Owain Doull while he was cycling in the Peak District on Monday.

A clip shared on Instagram and Twitter showed the 27-year-old Team Ineos rider on his bike in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire.

The dog can be seen running alongside him with the Welsh cyclist’s headphones tied to his collar.

Bolt was eventually returned to his owner, James Harvey, a consultant breast cancer surgeon from Manchester.

“I found him on the side of the road, shivering and looking a bit lost,” Doull – who won gold at the 2016 Olympics in the men's team pursuit – told The Independent.

Doull said he was unable to find the owner nearby so checked the dog’s collar which gave an address and telephone number. 

"I tried to call the owner but had no response and the signal isn’t great around there. So I chucked the address into my phone and it was only a kilometre up the road.

Bolt was described as the ‘perfect companion’ (Owain Doull)

“I’ve never met such a responsive dog in my life. He would wander off and I would just say ‘Bolt’ and he’d come straight back," Doull added, describing the dog as the “perfect companion”.

In a tweet on Monday evening the dog’s owner replied: “Thanks Owain. Bolt’s exhausted and pleased to have met a new friend.”

The post attracted thousands of likes and messages of praise for Doull, who recently competed in the 243km Tour de Flanders. 

“A touching post and a nice investment in karma,” wrote one. “You are a hero to all dogs,” said another.