Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton opens up about her childhood, teenage struggles, and the transformative moment that set her on the path to becoming one of Britain's most decorated athletes.
A Childhood on Two Wheels
Born in Bedfordshire in 1980, Pendleton recalls a family holiday in the south of France near Saint-Tropez, where she was photographed with her first solo racing bike. The secondhand bike, custom sprayed by her father, was a source of pride for her and her twin brother, Alex. Her father, a cycling enthusiast, introduced them to the sport as a refuge and community. Starting on a tandem, they progressed to grass track racing at age nine.
Pendleton describes a happy upbringing, raised not as a little girl but as a 'twinny,' with gender-neutral gifts and equal opportunities to cycle. However, she soon discovered that real life was less fair, particularly at school.
Teenage Isolation
In the school playground, boys dominated sports pitches while girls were pushed to the sidelines. Pendleton found break time boring and felt that boys' activities were more physical and interesting. She realized that the traits of an Olympic champion—confidence, competitiveness, and seriousness—made her unpopular. She was an outcast for most of her teenage years, a painful experience for a people pleaser. This loss of control manifested as obsessive-compulsive disorder, with obsessive food intake and hand-washing until her hands were raw. Art classes provided a refuge with large sinks where she could wash unnoticed.
The Life-Changing Call
At age 16, a call from the British Cycling Federation changed her life. Marshall, a representative, invited her to try out for the team. Her father was delighted, but Pendleton worried that a career as an athlete was a fantasy. She was wrong.
When she started professional cycling, she felt like a fraud. On a flight to her first European Championships, she sat next to Bradley Wiggins, who was already an expert. She feared being found out. It wasn't until winning her first world championship in 2005 that she stopped feeling that way.
Overcoming Doubts
Throughout her career, voices told her she was too small, puny, or feminine. Her father's belief kept her going, but she retreated into shadows, absorbing criticism. Coaches mistook her smile for a lack of seriousness, not realizing she was already hard on herself. She was even told off for reading a book while stretching. In retrospect, she understands they meant well, but wishes they knew the impact of their negative comments.
Despite struggles, she trained with remarkable individuals like Jason Quealy, Chris Hoy, and Craig McLean, who treated her like a little sister. Being part of the golden era of cycling in Beijing was a blast.
Post-Olympic Life
By the 2012 Olympics, she felt overwhelmed as reigning champion facing home games. Her face was on billboards, and everyone expected her to win. After winning gold, life felt flat. She stayed busy with sponsorship and corporate work, saying yes to everything to feel preoccupied.
Retirement was tough, like losing part of herself. She climbed Everest but suffered hypoxia and had to pull out, coinciding with a divorce. She disappeared into the jungle to surf, which became the best therapy.
She has since taken up extreme sports, including horse racing and motorcycling, inspired by the confidence gained from her twin brother Alex, who passed away in 2023. Horse racing, with its danger and excitement, has been life-changing. She says the girl in that photo would never have believed what she was capable of, having done so much more than she ever dreamed possible.
