Sir Bradley Wiggins has expressed gratitude towards Lance Armstrong for his support during a challenging period in his life, stating he feels "indebted" to the former cyclist.
Struggles with Addiction
The five-time Olympic champion opened up about his struggles with cocaine addiction following his retirement from cycling in 2016. He revealed that Armstrong has been a source of strength and inspiration for him during this time. Wiggins shared on BBC Radio 5 Live:
"Lance has been a great strength to me and a great inspiration to me. I’m indebted to him for what he’s done."
Upcoming Collaboration
Wiggins and Armstrong are set to collaborate on The Move podcast this summer, where they will cover the Tour de France together.
Retirement and Controversy
Wiggins retired from professional cycling at the age of 36, largely due to concerns over doping scandals involving Team Sky, where he rode from 2010 to 2016. However, he was later cleared by an independent panel of experts, which found no evidence of wrongdoing by him or any other rider on Team Sky.
Armstrong’s reputation has been significantly affected by controversy, having been stripped of seven Tour de France titles due to doping allegations. Despite this, Wiggins views Armstrong as a positive influence in his life.
Candid Reflections
In a recent interview with The Observer, Wiggins candidly discussed his battle with addiction after retiring from professional cycling. He reflected:
- "I’d always thought I was invincible… But when you’re not racing anymore and you’ve got nothing else going on, it can get quite dark."
- "I started taking cocaine because it made me feel better… It made me feel like I could do anything."
Wiggins noted that he had previously tried therapy and medication for depression before resorting to cocaine. It wasn’t until he hit rock bottom—being arrested at Heathrow Airport—that he began to see a change in his life. He stated:
"I knew something had gone wrong. I knew something had gone very wrong."
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