Interesting article about Pendleton, clearly you don’t become multiple world and Olympic champion without mental strength but she definitely had her demons as well, can’t help thinking if she had the extra % of someone like Ali Brownlee she’d have won more. He was utterly ruthless.
But she did have a physical disadvantage with her size.
It then goes on to mention the macho culture in Gb cycling at the time, particularly to the female riders, although there weren’t many. Sutton will say he was successful and was mandated to win. But I think her and a couple of others like Cooke probably inspired the next group and helped them get a better training environment.
She is a fruit loop though. The worst end of the spectrum of needy women - and I’m a woman saying that. It does stem from her very odd father.
I do agree with your point though, her speaking out about Sutton’s ways definitely helped the next group of athletes. Chris Hoy’s one black mark for me is that he never says anything about Sutton and sticks to the “he got results” mantra.
I don’t know her/the story that well, but reading you say that does make you wonder if it’s telling that 12 years later she still wants to keep her story in the media.
I thought she revealed all when she wrote her book after retiring?
Other than the sprint gold in London, I don’t think there was a lot else that she could have won. Before 2012 there was only one medal for a female sprinter and she won that at Beijing.
It probably didn’t help matters that the women’s sprint team was basically just her and Jess Varnish for most of her career because of the inequality in opportunities between men and women.
She always seemed a bit fragile mentally and was probably a full time job for Steve Peters.
She probably didn’t help her cause having a relationship with a member of the coaching staff
Good article, Sutton always came across as a typical Aussie “mans man” , probably a reason he was single. Much of his language is just Oz but it does seem he went way too far , and his treatment of para and female athletes cannot be defended, no matter what results he got.
I forgot to add about his work with Wiggins, getting him through his bad periods, shows the other side of Sutton. Think it was in ond of the many Wiggo docs after 2012 where they spoke extensively to Sutton and Wiggins above their relationship. Always two sides to a story, shame it was only with men. He actually slept in Wiggos garage or sofa on occasion to stop him going off the rails, or when he was low, really went above and beyond, like a good coach would TO ALL ATHLETES.
One of those weird KoM point raids.
Target the points each day. Get them.
Done.
It’s a shame the camera work on this race is so shoddy every year, as it is way more interesting that TdF or Giro. The inclines are stupendous and similar to around here, 20% for a few km? Yeah. Go on then
(Just without the first 10-15km at 8% as a warm up )
I suspect her father’s influence didn’t do her any favours.
