WIGGINS DESCENDED INTO DRINK AND DEPRESSION POST-ATHENS

• Thursday, 2 October 2008
• Simon Richardson
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Bradley Wiggins went on a nine-month drinking binge after the Athens Olympics, according to the serialisation of his autobiography in today’s Guardian.

In his book, Bradley Wiggins: In Pursuit of Glory Wiggins admits to drinking to excess at the post Olympic parties and ceremonies in 2004, but how that then transformed in to something far more serious.

During the off-season Wiggins found himself with nothing to do as he spent around two months off of his bike following his last place finish in the Grand Prix des Nations time trial in France.

With time to spare, and his wife Cath out at work, Wiggins went to his local. Waiting at the door at 11 in the morning and knocking back 12 or 13 pints before heading home to get the dinner on. During dinner some more wine would be consumed.

Wiggins admitted that this fall in to depression and ensuing alcohol abuse came about as he had no idea what to do next. At the age of 24 he had achieved his life’s ambition and didn’t know where to go next. He was also left feeling undervalued as the Olympic glory hadn’t brought ‘copper bottomed commercial offers, endorsements [or] opportunities to earn real cash.’

BREAKING BOARDMAN’S RECORD
In Wednesday’s serialisation, Wiggins told the tale of his stunning form at the pre-Olympic Newport training camp had come crashing down thanks to a unexplained virus.

Wiggins had ridden a full four kilometre pursuit in training, going faster than Chris Boardman’s time of 4:11-114 minutes set in the superman position in 1996, although Wiggins doesn’t give the time.

But the following day he woke up and could barely move, feeling as if he was paralysed as he lay in bed at the Celtic Manor in Newport. Blood tests confirmed a virus, but there was little he or BC doctor Roger Palfreeman could do. It was six days before he was back on his bike.

This story confirms the rumours that were coming from the Olympic training camp at the time. Wiggins had been in stunning form, but it had come too early, and in Beijing he was nowhere near 100 per cent. That he still won the pursuit at a canter is testimony to his dominance of modern day pursuiting, but this admission leaves a big ‘what if’ hanging over the Madison.

Wiggins was hanging on in the two-man race, and the poor result was the reason behind his falling out with team mate Mark Cavendish. Wiggins admits that the pair still haven’t spoken since the race on August 19, and Wiggins has now left the Columbia team that is to be built around Cavendish next year.

The serialisation continues in tomorrow’s Guardian newspaper. Bradley Wiggins: In Pursuit of Glory is now on sale for £18.99. Published by Orion.

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