Former Tour de France winner and multiple Olympic gold medalist, Sir Bradley Wiggins has opened up on the abuse he received as a child and how he used the sport of cycling as an escape mechanism.
Speaking at the launch of a new NSPCC campaign, Wiggins revealed how he used to ride his bike as a way to escape the problems of his childhood abuse. "I kind of think it contributed to why I was so great at cycling. It’s a real contradiction in that the adversity is what gave me the drive to run away," he said. "My greatest ability was riding on my own. The drive that came within, particularly with cycling, it was a means to facilitate escaping from where I grew up."
As the new NSPCC campaign aims to encourage people who see potential victims of child abuse to speak up and report the abuse, Wiggins reveals how despite the signs being there for people to see, no one reported his abuse, allowing it to continue for longer.
"I became aware that onlookers at the time, other coaches, had recognised the signs and heard the rumours but did nothing about it," he said. "Rather than worrying [if] you’re intruding or intervening or the consequences of that… if you’re right wouldn’t you rather just go in and take that risk? This campaign is so important. I think we all have a responsibility as adults, parents, onlookers, coaches, teachers to recognise the signs."
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