Victoria Pendleton MBE
Team Sprint, Sprint, Keirin
Current Team: Sky Track Cycling
DOB: 24.09.1980 | From: Stotfold, Near Hitchin | Based: Manchester
World and Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton 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. After school she went to Northumbria University and gained a degree in Sport and Exercise Science. However being a full-time student didn’t stop Victoria wanting to compete. in 2001 she won four medals in the National Track Championships.
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.
Website: www.victoriapendleton.co.uk
Twitter: @v_pendleton
Victoria Pendleton MBE: Selected Career Highlights to Date
2012
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Melbourne, Gold, Sprint
UCI Track World Cup, London Gold, Team Sprint
2011
UEC European Track Championships, Apeldoorn Gold, Keirin Gold, Team Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Apeldoorn Silver, Team Sprint Bronze, Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Bronze, Sprint, Bronze, Keirin
2010
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Copenhagen Gold, Sprint, Silver, Keirin
2009
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Poland Gold, Sprint, Silver, Team Sprint, Bronze, 500m Time Trial
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Gold, Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Copenhagen Gold, Sprint
2008
Olympic Games, Beijing Gold, Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Manchester Gold, Team Sprint, Gold, Sprint, Silver, Keirin
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Gold, Keirin, Gold, Sprint, Gold, 500m TT
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Ballarup Gold, Team Sprint, Silver, Sprint
2007
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Majorca Gold, Team Sprint, Gold, Sprint, Gold, Keirin
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Beijing Silver, Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Gold, Sprint, Gold, 500m TT
2006
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Bordeaux Silver, Sprint
Commonwealth Games, Melbourne Gold, Sprint, Silver, 500m Time Trial
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Sydney Silver, Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Moscow Gold, Keirin
2005
UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Los Angeles Gold, Sprint
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Silver, Sprint, Silver, 500m TT
2004
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Manchester Gold, Sprint, Bronze, 500m TT
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Los Angeles Gold, Keirin
2003
UCI Track Cycling World Cup, Sydney Gold, Scratch Race, Silver, Sprint