Victoria Pendleton Opens Up About Retirement Struggles and British Cycling System

Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton has revealed the challenges she faced during her transition to retirement from the sport. In an interview with Sky Sports, the 43-year-old opened up about feeling “spat out” by the British Cycling system after retiring following the 2012 Olympics in London.

Pendleton, who won gold in the Sprint event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the Keirin event at the 2012 London Olympics, spoke candidly about the lack of support she received from British Cycling after her retirement. She expressed feeling pressured to make a decision about her future and ultimately felt like she had no choice but to leave the sport.

The former champion also discussed the emotional toll of retiring from cycling, noting that she still felt physically capable of competing at a high level. Despite her success on the track, Pendleton felt that she was not given the opportunity to continue her career and was left feeling insecure and unsupported by the system.

In response to Pendleton’s claims, British Cycling’s performance director Stephen Park emphasized that the organization has made significant changes to its culture since the time of Pendleton’s retirement. He acknowledged the need for improvement and expressed gratitude for Pendleton’s feedback, stating that she is now welcomed back to support the women’s sprint program.

Overall, Pendleton’s story sheds light on the challenges faced by athletes during their transition out of competitive sports and highlights the importance of providing support and guidance to athletes as they navigate life after retirement. Follow Real Talk on Sky Sports News for more insightful interviews and discussions on important topics in the world of sports.