Bradley Wiggins reveals his ‘horrible’ despair on drug claims and insists he’s clean
Olympic hero opens his heart on Jiffygate and vows to shake Team Sky and British Cycling to the core with the full story
SIR BRADLEY WIGGINS has revealed his despair at being labelled a doper and admitted: “It’s been horrible, horrible.”
But Wiggo insists he is clean and promises to shake Team Sky and British Cycling to the core when he fully explains his side of story.
The knight rider, 36, yesterday opened his heart for the first time on Jiffygate — the subject of an ongoing UK Anti-Doping investigation.
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Wiggins, cycling chief Sir Dave Brailsford and Team Sky’s medical team have all been accused of flouting anti-doping rules.
But in a TV interview yesterday Wiggo said: “It’s the worst thing to be accused of when you are a man of my integrity and what I’ve done to get where I am today.
“It’s been horrible, horrible. But fortunately there is an investigation going on.”
A Jiffy bag package was couriered for Wiggins from Manchester to France, ahead of the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine.
Team Sky says the package contained medicine Fluimucil — a legal decongestant — but it has been claimed it was, in fact, banned drug triamcinolone.
Wiggins retired from competitive cycling in November, just a few months after winning a record fifth Olympic gold medal in Rio.
Yet his reputation has been dragged through the mud ever since a leak exposed he had used THREE Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) during his career.
The TUEs allowed Wiggins to legally take a powerful corticosteroid before three big races, including his 2012 Tour de France win.
Wiggins and Team Sky deny any wrongdoing, claiming they applied for the banned substance solely to treat asthma-induced hay fever. Wiggins has kept out of the public eye but yesterday warned when he does reveal the truth, it will be explosive.
In an interview on , he said: “There is a lot to say and it’s going to shock a few people.”
Wiggins revealed he has not ridden a bike for FOUR months.
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But he is adamant he has no ambitions to make a U-turn on his retirement pledge because he is enjoying acting normal for once.
He said: “I haven’t ridden since November and I don’t miss it one bit. It’s nice to be home. It’s my son’s birthday this weekend.
“He is 12 and it’s the first birthday I have been home for. I missed his birth as well. I am always racing this time of the year. It is full-on.
“It’s nice to have a pint of Guinness on his birthday, have a Sunday roast, live a little.
“I was 36 when I retired, so knocking on a bit, and five Olympic Games. I had been doing it a long time, 25 years. Five Olympic medals. It was a nice way to finish.”
