Ben Wiggins targets Olympic glory of his own
Cyclist Ben Wiggins, son of five-time Olympic champion and Tour de France winner Sir Bradley, has opened up on the good and bad of being related to a legend of the sport.The 20-year-old from Ormskirk is currently competing at the Under-23 Giro D'Italia, also known as Giro Next Gen, and has admitted the Wiggins surname carries a hefty weight of expectation."I definitely see it partly as an advantage but, trust me, there's an awful lot of things that come with it that aren't as easy," Wiggins told BBC Radio Lancashire."There's a lot of benefits that come with it that people would expect, but then there's more things that come with it that aren't as good."I'm incredibly proud of him and what he did. Sometimes, when they do team presentations before the race, I'd be brought on stage and introduced as Bradley Wiggins' son before my name is even mentioned."I'm also compared to the standards of a five-time Olympic champion and Tour de France winner. "I'm 20 years old. Maybe when I'm 35 that's fair enough, but I'm just getting started."
Wiggins began his cycling career in 2022 when he signed as a junior rider for the Fensham Howes-MAS Design team.After winning a silver medal at the 2023 Cycling World Championships in the Men's Junior Individual Time Trial, Wiggins joined United States-based Hagens Berman Jayco, managed by Axel Merckx - the son of five-time Tour de France champion Eddy Merckx.Wiggins says his and Merckx's similar stories played a big role in deciding which team to ride for."As a junior, I was second in the World Championships in Glasgow and I had the choice of many different places to go," he explained."But for me, having that figure in the team which felt the same experience as me - but on a bigger scale - that was the biggest attraction."
A rugby and football fanatic from an early age, Wiggins says he was 15 before he wanted to become a cyclist, despite his father's influence on the sport."I played rugby and football predominantly up until when Covid hit and we couldn't play team sports. At school, there was that banter around cycling. It's not fancy, it's not cool," he said.Wiggins also has his eyes on representing his country at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles but says he has a lot of work to do if he is to follow in his father's footsteps."My ambition is to be an Olympic Champion in LA," Wiggins added."There's plenty more things on the table for me to achieve but it's a dream of mine so that's definitely the mid to long-term goal, on the track or on the road."If you can do both you're a big asset for the team, so that's my ambition."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
39 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Richard Carapaz ruled out of Tour de France with stomach bug
Richard Carapaz, the reigning Tour de France king of the mountains, will miss this year's race after developing a gastrointestinal infection training at home in Ecuador. 'Last week, he began experiencing abdominal pain and a high fever,' his EF team said on their website. '[Doctors] have advised against long-haul travel and competition at this time. As a result, Richard will not take part in this year's Tour de France.' Carapaz finished third in the Giro d'Italia this month and would have led the EF Pro Cycling team in the Tour, which starts on 5 July. 'We're all gutted for Richard,' said Jonathan Vaughters, the EF chief. 'He came out of the Giro with amazing form. He sacrificed a lot to get to that level, so the timing really couldn't be worse. We know how much the Tour means to him, so to lose him this close to the race is a real blow.' Carapaz, the 2020 Olympic champion and 2019 Giro winner, won the climbing and combativity prizes in last year's Tour de France. The team said that the 32-year-old 'will take a few weeks off to let his body fully recover' and then shift his focus to the least prestigious of the Grand Tours starting on 23 August. 'His goal? Win the Vuelta a España,' said the team.
BBC News
40 minutes ago
- BBC News
Ex-England & Northants batter Larkins dies aged 71
Former England and Northamptonshire batter Wayne Larkins has died at the age of nicknamed Ned, played 13 Tests and 25 one-day internationals for England between 1979 and 1991, and was part of the side that reached the 1979 World Cup made 716 appearances for Northamptonshire across first-class and one-day formats, scoring 29,929 runs with 60 opening batter was part of the Northants side who won their first major trophy, the Gillette Cup, in left for Durham in 1991 and had short spells with Minor Counties Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire before retiring from playing in 2001."Unquestionably one of the most exciting and naturally talented English top-order batsmen of his generation, he feared no-one with the new ball and could inflict severe damage on the very best," said wife Debbie said: "Ned loved everyone he met and everyone loved him. People were drawn to his infectious energy. He lit up every room and never wanted the party to finish."He loved his soulmate of a wife and his precious daughters so much. He will be partying up in the sky, drinking a toast to everyone and to his own life. We are devastated but we'll never forget his undeniably unique presence and his impact on our lives."We will carry him in our hearts forever."
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I tested quirky snacks from hot honey Jaffa Cakes to spicy cookie dough bites – some could easily become regular buys
MARKS & Spencer has aced it by serving up a Wimbledon-inspired sweet sandwich – with shoppers queuing up to try it. Launched last week, the £2.80 Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme sarnie, made with strawberries, whipped cream cheese and sweetened bread, has been flying out of stores. 7 But that is not the only unexpected food offering this summer. If you thought a dessert sarnie – inspired by the viral Japanese fruit sando – was quirky, Charlotte Owen reveals other strange-flavoured snacks you might like to try. Subway Grand Slam £1.55 7 BE quick, this is available tomorrow only – to celebrate the start of the Wimbeldon tennis. The sandwich chain has piggy-backed the strawberries-and-cream trend after M&S's success. It describes its take as a 'delicious rally between sweet and savoury'. But the carb-heavy sub version of the viral sarnie may only catch the eye of people who were not able to get one of the Marks & Spencer version. While it offers a healthy dose of cream and strawberries, the amount of bread in a bite looks to be about double that of what you get inside. Subway hopes to serve a winner by giving away 500 of the overwhelming sandwiches for free at Wimbledon tomorrow. Or grab yours at other select branches of the chain. Greggs taste test Greggs Lemon Meringue Muffin 114g, £1.55 7 A LIGHT, sweet treat that does everything you would expect it to do. It is a cheap delight for those wanting to pick up a summery snack. With a bit of jam in the middle to give it a kick, the fresh lemon meringue icing on the top is a proper taste of summer and the lemon sherbet shards pack a punch. Greggs is known for its easy food on the go, and this is no exception. It's a quick stomach-filler for those out and about in the heat. Doughlicious Extra Flamin' Hot Cookie Dough & Gelato Bites 192g, £5 IF there is one thing you don't expect from gelato, it's a burst of heat – but that's what you get with these snacks. The birdseye chilli-infused cookie-dough coating works in tandem with the ghost chilli- infused gelato to create a fire-and-ice effect. It's an interesting idea but not everyone will like the extra kick that comes with the added spice. Gü Mango Chilli Cheesecake 2 x 96g, £3.75 HERE'S a combination that works just perfectly. The mango-chilli compote and mascarpone cheesecake make for an indulgent and tropical flavour profile with just a hint of heat. As if that is not decadent enough, the dessert also features layers of chocolate ganache, salted caramel and a sprinkle of crunchy chocolate pieces for an irresistible touch of texture and a base of cocoa biscuit. You can enjoy this five-layer treat cold or whack it in the microwave and experience its molten- chocolate centre. What's not to love? Pizza Express Hawaiian Hot Dough Balls £7.95 THIS take on a Pizza Express classic reignites the perennial debate about pineapples on pizza. The dough balls are served with crispy pancetta and pieces of the fruit, with a 'fiery' pineapple-and- Habanero sauce. If you like your Italian feast a bit sweet, this could well be just the thing for you. If you're on the other side of the debate, the bizarre flavour combination won't do anything to change your mind. The supposedly fiery sauce you get is not even hot enough to bring a kick to this unusual dish. 7 THE makers of the treat we all know and love have taken the biscuit and added a bit of spice. While orange and chocolate are already a great combination, the addition of hot honey is sure to delight those with an even sweeter tooth. These could easily become a regular buy on supermarket shopping trips.
