Wendy Houvenaghel

A dentist by profession, Wendy became a full time athlete relatively late on in life at the age of 31 years, having shown a natural ability for cycling by winning numerous British National titles, both on the road and on the track between 2003-2006.

She was fast-tracked onto British Cycling’s Olympic Podium Plan having become the world cup series champion in the women’s 3000m Individual Pursuit over the 2005/6 season. She repeated this feat in 2006/7.

Two years later, having specialised in Track endurance, Wendy gained her first rainbow jersey in the women’s Team Pursuit at the 2008 world championships in Manchester. This was subsequently followed up with a silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Games in the women’s Individual Pursuit.

Since then, Wendy has consolidated her achievements by winning gold and silver medals at the UCI Track World Championships in Poland in March 2009. She has also achieved success on the road by winning the Chrono Champenois UCI 1.1 Time Trial in France.

Throughout 2010, Wendy performed consistently in the Team Pursuit and took the gold medal in the UEC European Track Championships, which was the first opportunity to score qualification points for London 2012.

2011 saw Wendy take the World Champion title for the third time, with youngsters Dani King and Laura Trott, as well as gold at both the Manchester and Cali world cups.

In 2012, at the world championships in Melbourne, Houvenaghel turned her attention to the Individual Pursuit where she won a silver medal.

2012

UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Melbourne, Silver, Individual Pursuit

2011

UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Colombia Gold, Team Pursuit, Silver, Individual Pursuit

UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Apeldoorn Gold, Team Pursuit

UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Gold, Team Pursuit

2010

UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Copenhagen Silver, Team Pursuit, Silver, Individual Pursuit

UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Colombia Silver, Individual Pursuit Bronze, Team Pursuit

UEC European Track Championships, Poland Gold, Team Pursuit

Commonwealth Games, Delhi Silver, Individual Pursuit

2009

UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Poland Gold, Team Pursuit, Silver, Individual Pursuit

UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Gold, Individual Pursuit, Gold, Team Pursuit

UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Melbourne Gold, Individual Pursuit, Silver, Team Pursuit

2008

Olympics, Beijing Silver, Individual Pursuit

World Track Championships, Manchester Gold, Team Pursuit, Gold, Individual Pursuit