It was whilst studying at the University of Northumberland that Victoria Pendleton started to train more constructively for track sprinting, inspired by the Olympic gold medal success of Jason Queally at the Sudney 2000 Olympic Games. She enjoyed some success on the track whilst she was studying at University, but after graduating she became a full-time cyclist.

She won her first World Champions rainbow jersey at the 2005 World Championships in the individual sprint. This first jersey set her on the path to greatness and she went on to win a total of nine world titles. In 2007 she achieved the unique feat of winning all three women’s track sprint events (Keirin, Team Sprint, and Individual Sprint) at the World Championships.

In the form of her life, she went to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, and with just one opportunity to win Olympic gold, she did so, and in great style.

The next four year Olympic cycle proved extremely challenging for many reasons, on and off the bike, but in 2012 she regained her world title in the individual sprint in Melbourn, and once aga demonstrated her strength of character once again at the London Olympic Games winning gold in the Keirin and silver in the individual sprint.

She competed in nearly every industry event, including at the British National Track Championships, the Commonwealth Games, the European Track Championships, the UCI Track Cycling World Championships, and the Olympics

Between her first race aged nine and her retirement just after the Olympic Games in 2012, she had won nine World Championship gold medals, five silver medals, and two bronzes.

Victoria Pendleton | Other Sport

Since retiring from cycling, Victoria hasn’t moved away from the world of sport completely. In 2015, she announced her intention to become a jockey with the aim of competing at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival. She made her debut in August 2015, finishing second at the Betfair Novie Flat Amateur Riders’ Handicap, winning her first race seven months later.

Then in 2017, she attended a bootcamp at Kenilworth Castle to learn the basic trainings of the medieval sport of jousting, saying of it:

“I have a huge amount of respect for the sport now – much greater than before – and I think people would be surprised to learn how numb your senses are when dressed in armour top-to-toe.”

Victoria Pendleton | Outside of Sport

Victoria has become a familiar personality in the media, and has appeared on programmes including A Question of Sport (2007-11), Cycling’s Golden Girl (2012), Loose Women (2012), The Great Sport Relief Bake Off (2014), Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins (2019), Driving Force (2020), and Don’t Rock the Boat (2020). In 2012, she competed in the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, lasting until week eight.

She has featured in FHM Magazine, and Harper’s Bazaar, and released her autobiography Between the Lines in 2012.

Victoria has partnered with Halfords on a range of branded women’s bikes, and was a brand ambassador for Pantene and Clinique. She is also an ambassador of Thru Dark, a high-performance outerwear company.

Victoria Pendleton | Speaking

With 14 international gold medals to her name, Victoria holds the secrets to peak performance and marginal gains, and is regularly booked to share the strategies for personal development. She is happy to do motivational talks in fireside-chat style format covering a range of topics.

Victoria Pendleton | Speaking Topics

– Goal Setting

– Elite Sports

– Olympics

– Leadership

– Resilience

– Mindset

– Overcoming Adversity

– Peak Performance

– Teamwork

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Former Team GB Olympic Cyclist Victoria Pendleton for your next live or hybrid event.  Contact us.