With a total of five Olympic gold medals, a knighthood, and a fortune estimated at £13 million, Bradley Wiggins once appeared to have everything.
Yet, in June, the former athlete confronted bankruptcy, dealing with debts surpassing £1 million. This startling news revealed his homelessness, as he was residing on his ex-wife’s couch after losing his property worth £975,000.
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At 44 years old, Wiggins has candidly shared his battles with depression and alcohol, recounting a troubling incident last November when his 19-year-old son Ben became concerned for his welfare during Wiggins’ period of isolation in a hotel room.
Speaking openly on The High Performance Podcast, he recalled, “I went through some extremely challenging times. The last significant episode happened nearly a year ago, and I choose to keep the specifics private.
“I found myself in a dark space, confined to a hotel room for several days; it was my son’s intervention that alerted me to the risky path I was on.
“A plethora of factors led to this situation.”
“I have continually confronted enormous challenges that disrupted my pursuit of tranquility; there always seemed to be something unresolved. Yet, I’ve come to realize that a clear direction may never materialize.
“I understand that we are born amidst hardship, and our reactions to these challenges shape our existence.”
“Initially, I hesitated to pursue therapy. I thought, ‘No therapist could truly grasp the chaos in my mind’.”
Wiggins stated that he feels he is currently in a “good place” and is determined to repay a significant portion of the £2 million debt accumulated by his business after declaring bankruptcy.
He has discovered an unforeseen ally in the disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.
The seven-time Tour de France champion, who had his titles revoked and was banned for life after confessing to doping, has become a close confidant, recently offering to finance Wiggins’ therapy sessions.
Brave Sir Bradley Wiggins discusses the traumatic sexual abuse he endured as a child at the hands of a former cycling coach
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While he initially hesitated to accept the offer, he now feels prepared to take this step.
He reflected, “Lance has been remarkably supportive throughout the years, especially recently. We discussed therapy, and he has offered to cover the expenses for my week-long stay at a reputable facility in Atlanta.”
“He is genuinely caring. Despite his regrettable past, it doesn’t entirely define who he is. He has a compassionate side.”
Struggles with Alcohol
Bradley began addressing his mental health struggles two years ago, which were exacerbated by a traumatic childhood involving sexual abuse from a former coach.
His father, Gary, who was also a cyclist, battled alcoholism and drug addiction, leaving the family when Bradley was just 18 months old, only to return when Bradley was 19, after his son had already achieved significant success in cycling.
Despite their reunion, his father harshly asserted that Bradley would “never surpass your old man.”
In one of my darkest moments, I threw all my trophies off the mantelpiece because I thought, ‘What purpose do these worthless objects serve?’
Bradley
From the ages of 13 to 16, Bradley endured sexual abuse at the hands of coach Stan Knight, who passed away in 2003.
Throughout his illustrious career, Wiggins secured eight Olympic medals, five of which were gold, and made history as the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France in 2012.
However, upon retiring in 2016, he realized that cycling had merely provided a distraction from his troubled past, and those deep-seated issues returned with greater intensity.
In a recent discussion on this week’s High Performance podcast, he acknowledged that the abuse left a lasting imprint on his life but that he has learned to cope over the past year.
He stated: “I’m genuinely in the best state I’ve been in for 44 years.”
“This development is largely due to my experiences with adversity and overcoming various major struggles.”
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“I once believed my achievements were the root of my problems, but I’ve come to see it’s a more complex issue involving many elements. The past five years have been about unraveling this perspective in my mind.”
“I’ve taken control of my life and chosen not to blame others any longer.”
The Influence of My Son
When asked what has instilled this newfound sense of responsibility, he pointed to Ben, his 19-year-old son, who shares his enthusiasm for cycling. Ben played a crucial role in lifting him out of a “very dark place” on November 20 of last year—coincidentally the same day that would have been his father’s 71st birthday, who was tragically murdered in 200.
