Bradley Wiggins, a five-time Olympic gold medalist, a knight, and once worth £13 million, seemed to have achieved everything.

Nevertheless, in June, the legendary athlete was declared bankrupt with debts over £1 million, revealing that he was homeless, living on his ex-wife’s couch after losing his £975,000 house.

8

8

At 44 years old, he has recently opened up about his battle with depression, issues with alcohol, and a distressing moment when his 19-year-old son, Ben, feared he might take his own life as he isolated himself in a dark hotel room last November.

In an emotional interview on The High Performance Podcast, he shared: “There were some really extreme moments. The last one was about a year ago, though I won’t go into detail.

“I found myself in a very dark place, stuck in a hotel room for several days; my son came to my aid and made me aware of the self-destructive behaviors I was exhibiting.

“There were many reasons underlying this.

“I have always confronted things that caused me distress, making happiness elusive; something always seemed to loom on the horizon. I’ve learned to accept that a straightforward path will never be apparent.

“I’ve recognized that we’re born into challenges and must navigate these throughout our lives.

“I was hesitant to seek therapy. I thought, ‘no one could truly grasp the workings of my mind’.”

He revealed he is now in a “happy place” and is focused on recovering some of the money owed by his company, which has now escalated to £2 million following his bankruptcy.

Wiggins has found an unexpected ally in disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.

The seven-time Tour de France champion, who was stripped of his titles and banned for life after admitting to drug use, has become a close friend and has recently offered to fund his therapy.

Brave Sir Bradley Wiggins discusses the painful sexual abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of an elderly cycling coach

8

Initially reluctant to accept the offer, he now feels ready to pursue it.

He shared: “Lance has been a significant source of support for me over the last few years, especially this year. We’ve discussed therapy, and he wants to fund my stay at a well-known facility in Atlanta for a week.”

“He truly has good intentions. His previous actions, regrettable as they are, don’t define him entirely. There’s certainly a compassionate aspect to him.”

Battles with Alcohol

Bradley began to open up about his mental health struggles two years ago, further complicated by a troubled childhood marked by sexual abuse from a former coach.

His father, Gary, a cyclist, battled alcoholism and drug addiction, abandoning the family when Bradley was just 18 months old, only to return when Bradley was 19, after his rise in cycling.

Despite their reconciliation, his father harshly declared that Bradley would “never be as good as your old man.”

In one of my darkest moments, I smashed all my trophies off the mantelpiece because I thought, ‘What are these meaningless things doing here?’

Bradley

From the age of 13 to 16, Bradley endured sexual abuse by coach Stan Knight, who passed away in 2003.

Throughout his illustrious career, he amassed eight Olympic medals, including five golds, and became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012.

However, after retiring in 2016, he realized that cycling had been a distraction from his challenging past, and his issues intensified as they resurfaced.

In a recent appearance on the High Performance podcast, he stated that the abuse has deeply impacted him, but in the past year, he has learned to cope with it.

He said: “I’m genuinely in the best place I’ve been in my 44 years.”

“This is mostly thanks to my experiences with hardship, as I’ve navigated through dark times for various reasons.”

8

“I used to blame success for my struggles, but now I see it’s much more complicated, involving various factors. The past five years have been about untangling that in my mind.”

“I’ve taken charge of my life and am no longer in a position to blame others.”

The Influence of My Son

When discussing the motivation that led him to take responsibility, he pointed to Ben, his 19-year-old son, who is also making strides in cycling, as his savior during a “very dark moment” last November 20, coincidentally on the 71st birthday of Bradley’s father, who was tragically murdered in 2008.

His father died from a head injury after an altercation at a party in New South Wales, Australia, with no charges brought in relation to his death.

Following the hotel room incident, Ben voiced his concerns that he might receive a call someday about his father’s potential suicide.

Initially, Bradley believed that sharing his struggles would aid in his coping, but he later realized it had the opposite effect.

He stated: “By sharing my journey, I began to view myself as a martyr, positioning myself as someone who had endured, who could guide others while neglecting my own need for help.”

“Two years ago, I thought I was doing well, but I failed to recognize that I was engaging in harmful habits – smoking, drinking, and pretending everything was okay. However, I have now genuinely embarked on a positive journey.”

He characterized himself as an “avoider,” someone who buried his traumatic experiences while chasing cycling success. Yet, after achieving the pinnacle of his career in 2012, winning his fifth Olympic gold shortly after the Tour de France, he was left with a sense of emptiness.

“Winning an Olympic gold, standing on that podium shortly after clinching the Tour de France, and wondering ‘What’s next?’ and struggling to cope with that reality,” he recalled.

“Nothing could ever top that day, given its significance and the multitude cheering from the sidelines, which sparked a boom in cycling.”

8

“On that day, The Sun had been distributing sideburns on the front pages of their newspapers.”

A Very Dark Phase

Later that year, Bradley was honored with the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award and was knighted in the 2013 New Year Honours. However, he subsequently turned his struggles into a source for his accolades.

He recounted: “During one of my bleak spells, I knocked all my trophies from the mantelpiece because I questioned the meaning of those items.”

“I cast aside my Sports Personality of the Year award and knighthood – items that were supposed to validate my greatness, yet I wrestled with how my successes reflected on my status within my family and society.”

“I wanted to express, in a deeply misguided manner while under the influence, that these possessions were worthless, merely remnants of junk.”

The profound pain that made me question my existence stemmed from the sexual abuse I suffered at the hands of my initial coach for three years.

Bradley

“There were many such occurrences during that period.”

When asked if he now feels pride in himself, Wiggins responded, “Yes,” noting that he certainly couldn’t have claimed that a year ago.

“I take pride in the person I am becoming. I consider myself a good father to my children.”

In addition to Ben, Bradley has an 18-year-old daughter, Isabella, from his marriage to Cath, from whom he separated four years ago, and a three-year-old daughter, Ava Joy, with Laura Hartshorne, from whom he also separated.

While he previously attributed his cycling achievements to his hardships, he now believes they have “saved his life” and wouldn’t change anything about his journey.

“Cycling genuinely shielded me in many aspects. I’m uncertain what my life would be like now without it.”

“I wouldn’t change a single event in my journey because it’s our response to experiences that shapes our character. I feel my most important years lie ahead.”

8

“I believe excellence arises from confronting and overcoming adversity. I’ve encountered many individuals who are incredibly successful, and many of them have ‘damaged’ backgrounds.”

Facing the Past

He emphasized the significant impact of his past, stating: “The main factor that affected me and one of the key reasons I had a desire not to continue living was connected to the sexual abuse I sustained from my first coach for three years, between ages 13 and 16.”

“After avoiding that truth for thirty years, I realized it played a significant role in my achievements, as it served as a major distraction during those years.”

“However, upon retiring, I grew resentful toward cycling for introducing me to that individual.”

Following an interview with The Times last summer, four others came forward to allege they were victims at the same cycling club.

This experience was a relief for him, providing essential external validation.

In the past, I relied on alcohol under the impression that it helped me handle my introversion, but it only intensified my anxiety.

Bradley

“The complexity of this situation is immense. The dynamic with my father, and growing up without a father figure, as he was killed in 2008, has a profound effect.”

Bradley reflects that he lacked love during his childhood due to his father’s absence, and after he departed, his mother became involved with a man who was “quite heavy-handed” toward him.

He recalled: “My father left when I was just one and a half. I finally reunited with him at 19 after his return when I was succeeding.”

“One famous comment he made a week after reconnecting was, ‘Don’t forget you’ll never be as good as your old man.’ This notion weighs heavily on my mind as part of my healing.”

An Unexpected Ally

Discussing the generous offer from his new friend Lance Armstrong, he mentioned he is seriously considering it.

8

Recollecting his initial reaction to Armstrong’s offer for therapy, he reflected: “At first, I thought, ‘I don’t require help – how could you suggest that?’ but I did appreciate the offer.”

“That conversation took place five months ago, and now I’m deliberating reaching out and asking, ‘Is that offer still on the table, Lance?’

“I wanted to achieve some order in my life independently. I wanted to recover on my own, without professional help being solely responsible for my recovery. It was essential for me to feel grounded.”

“Now, I have a clearer idea of the topics I wish to bring up with a therapist, focusing on my behavioral patterns and the root causes of these emotions.”

“I didn’t want to approach therapy as a way to simply say, ‘Fix me.’”

“I will always honor my past. It has shaped who I am today. What I need to manage now is avoiding being bound by my past and transforming my relationship with it.”

My name was being exploited left and right, and I was oblivious because I was consumed by cycling.

Bradley

“I possess a clear vision of my personal objectives.”

“Happiness is a transient emotion, but fulfillment is something I’ve discovered is much more significant.”

“I no longer drink alcohol because I’ve improved my decision-making skills. My thought processes are healthier now.”

“In the past, I felt compelled to drink because I perceived myself as shy, thinking it would reduce my anxiety – yet it only intensified it.”

Wiggins expressed belief in his ability to stabilize his finances after declaring bankruptcy in June, mentioning last week that his company’s debts had reached £2 million, double the previous estimate.

Once assessed at £13 million, he has lost his £975,000 family home, his residence in Majorca, and is currently staying on couches, occasionally hosted by his ex-wife.

Nevertheless, he told interviewers Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes: “There has been significant professional negligence, and upcoming cases will afford me the opportunity to reclaim a substantial amount.”

The complete interview is available on The High Performance Podcast on all major platforms.

8