Hundreds of cyclists honour Muhammad Ali on The Greatest Ride (+ video)

Hundreds of cyclists last night paid tribute to Muhammad Ali by taking part in ‘The Greatest Ride’ in Louisville, Kentucky which took in many of the sites associated with the sporting legend in his home city.

According to the Courier-Journal, some 400 riders took part in the 15-mile ride ahead of the funeral today of the boxer who transcended his sport like no other athlete before or since, who died last Saturday at the age of 74.

The newspaper reports that children and adults alike stopped and chanted "Ali, Ali, Ali" as the cyclists rode by on a circular route from the city’s Ali Center that took in the former Olympic and world champion’s childhood home, his elementary and high schools.

As we reported last weekend, it was the theft of a bicycle that led to Ali first discovering boxing when, as the 12-year-old Cassius Clay, he was advised to report the theft to a police officer who happened to run a gym at the building outside which his bike had been stolen.

> How a stolen bike set Muhammad Ali on the path to greatness

The ride, organised by Louisville Bicycle Tours and Louisville Bicycle Club, also passed Spalding University where a similar bike – a red and white Schwinn – hangs from a column in tribute to Ali.

Here’s some video of yesterday evening’s ride posted to Twitter by Sara Wagner of TV station WHAS11.

Ride stopped by Ali's elementary school and now at his HS, Central HS. @WHAS11 #TheGreatestRide pic.twitter.com/Abgl9KThsw

— Sara Wagner (@WHAS11Sara) June 9, 2016

First stop: Ali boyhood home with owner of home thanking everyone for stopping by. @whas11 #TheGreatestRide pic.twitter.com/pZ96eVfca2

— Sara Wagner (@WHAS11Sara) June 9, 2016