Victoria Pendleton

About

Victoria is the golden girl of British cycling. After winning Gold at the Olympic Games in Beijing she is now the reigning World and Olympic Champion for the Sprint.

Victoria Pendleton (Victoria Louise Pendleton MBE) began her cycling career on the grass track at the age of nine– an area where her father Max once specialised and held the title as national champion.

She was talent spotted by a national coach at the age of 16 but chose to focus on her studies rather than training full time.

In 2005, Victoria won her first World Championship title, taking Gold in the Sprint, an event in which she has dominated ever since winning silver in 2006 and gold in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In 2007, Victoria made history when she won an unprecedented three world championship gold medals, establishing herself as the world’s best female track cyclist. Her achievements were recognised further by winning “The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year” award as well as the “Sports Journalists’ Association Sportswoman of the Year”.

However her achievements in 2007 were topped by 2008’s results when she won two gold medals and a silver medal at the World Championships then the ultimate prize in track cycling, the Olympic Gold medal for women’s sprint in Beijing.

In the 2009 New Year’s Honours list, Victoria was awarded an MBE and in 2010 Victoria successfully defended her world champion title in the Sprint for the fourth year on the run.

Victoria regained her title as Sprint World Champion in 2012 after a close fought semi final match with Anna Meares of Australia, the very rider who had de-throned her a year earlier in Apeldoorn.

She is also a member of British Cycling’s Olympic Podium Programme.

One of the most respected figures in Cycling, Victoria Pendleton is in demand as an after dinner speaker for her Olympics anecdotes and memories. She is also an excellent event host and entertaining after dinner speaker.