Bradley Wiggins won the Tour de France and an Olympic Gold medal back in 2012 which made him a star in Great Britain, but also a knight. However, the former pro cyclist admits that he never felt like he deserved that at the time, and eventually he was to smash his trophies.
“The day I was knighted, impostor syndrome hit me hard. My knighthood did not coincide with other athletes, I was mainly among militay personnel," Wiggins admits in a BBC documentary series. “It was a lesson in humility standing in line with them. Soldiers who were missing limbs wanted to take pictures with me, but I didn't feel like a hero that day. I didn't think I was worthy of being knighted."
Over the past few years, the Brito has shared stories on how trauma from his childhood led him to become the pro cyclist that he was, and opened about the many mental issues that he's had throughout his pro career and afterward. Among them, he tells, was an occasion where he broke trophies that he carried from his year as a successful cyclist.
“I had a difficult period in 2019. My wife had a very hard time mentally and I also lost sight of the bigger picture. I smashed all my trophies. I kept the cycling medals and trophies for my victories, but they are together in a bag somewhere. My Olympic medals are also in a plastic bag.”
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- Who made you site boss?Lozza12-11-2026
- This shows so well you’ve never ventured out to a cycling event and checked out spectators.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
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- Not just ManU, far worse in some minority sports ventures.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
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- Which is amazing given his weight and size, though, unlike in boxing and some rare instances we haven’t a clue what his fighting weight was. Anybody know why these “public” figures floated around are considered as being accurate?Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
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- Are you able to discuss ANYTHING without making a reference back to your Special 1? It’s almost as if you’re paid by his marketing team to improve his ranking in search results.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
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Bradley Wiggins winner of the Criterium du Dauphine in 2011 & 2012.
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