logo
Britain's Wiggins says he owes recovery from addiction to Armstrong's support

Britain's Wiggins says he owes recovery from addiction to Armstrong's support

CNA06-06-2025
Five-time Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins said that disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has played a key role in his recovery from cocaine addiction, saying he feels "indebted" to the American.
Last month former Tour de France winner Wiggins said he became addicted to cocaine after his retirement from the sport in 2016 and was "lucky" after getting sober a year ago.
The 45-year-old described Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping, as a "great strength and inspiration" after receiving his support since ending his career.
"Lance has been very, very good to me. That's not something everyone wants to hear because people only like to hear the bad stuff," Wiggins said in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live on Friday.
"It's on a human level. You can only take someone how they treat you.
"Lance has been a source of inspiration to me and a constant source of help towards me and is one of the main factors why I'm in this position I am today mentally and physically, so, I'm indebted to him for that."
Wiggins became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012 and collected a then-British record eight Olympic medals, including gold in the time trial at the 2012 London Games.
He is now collaborating on Armstrong's podcast The Move, where they will be covering this summer's Tour de France, and said their relationship has been grounded in mutual understanding beyond cycling.
In December last year, Wiggins said Armstrong had offered to fund his therapy for mental health issues.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hot favourites England burning to make up for 2022 heartache
Hot favourites England burning to make up for 2022 heartache

CNA

time2 hours ago

  • CNA

Hot favourites England burning to make up for 2022 heartache

LONDON :One decision not to kick for goal, one stolen lineout, one more lost final - whatever anyone in the England camp is saying, it is impossible not to look at this year's Women's Rugby World Cup through the prism of what happened in Auckland three years ago. England's dominance before and after that fateful day at Eden Park has been extraordinary and they go into Friday's opening match against the United States having won 57 of their last 58 matches. But the one that got away, and more importantly the way it got away, ensures there will always be that nagging doubt if, as expected, the Big Two meet again in the 82,000 sold-out Twickenham final on September 27. England were cruising at 14-0 up before a red card and, in a see-saw match, trailed 34-31 entering the final minute. Awarded a very kickable penalty that would have taken the game to extra time, England instead opted for a lineout. It seemed a logical decision after their driving maul had been - and continues to be - such a fearsome weapon, with New Zealand usually staying on the ground to try to defend it and usually failing as England scored four tries with it. This time, however, they opted to compete and Joanah Ngan-Woo wrote her name in Black Fern history by grabbing the ball to secure New Zealand's sixth title - five of them coming after beating England in the final. Most of the tearful Red Roses are on duty again this time round, including Emily Scarratt who will be playing in her fifth tournament, while they are now coached by vastly experienced Kiwi John Mitchell. His challenge has been to keep England on edge, even as they pummel everyone they come up against, which he says has been achieved by creating fierce internal competition for places and "embracing the aura" around the team. "We are looking to stay away from the risk of failure and talking about those sorts of things," he said. "We're a different team from 2022 and now we've got an opportunity to earn the right and finish something that we started. "I think the stuff that drives us the most is our competition within. Some people tend to frame "pressure" as a negative word whereas I see this as an opportunity to be successful." PATCHY FORM New Zealand's form has been patchy since, including three heavy defeats to England, but their pedigree - winning six of the last seven tournaments - means they will always pose a huge threat. Canada, ranked second in the world despite their amateur status, have had to crowd-fund to pay for their trip and, along with France, look the only teams capable of derailing the two favourites from their seeded journey to the final. Whatever the results on the pitch, the World Cup is already looking a huge success in terms of interest and ticket sales. Last time it was held in England 15 years ago, 30,000 watched the entire tournament, including 13,000 for the final at Harlequins' Stoop ground. This time 40,000 will be at Sunderland's Stadium of Light for the opener, 82,000 will be at the final at Twickenham - smashing the record for a women's international - and 375,000 of the 470,000 available tickets have been sold. "We are ready to break records in attendances, viewership and engagement. This is going to be the biggest global celebration of women that we have ever seen," WRWC Managing Director Sarah Massey said on Tuesday. "Our message to fans is, don't miss out. This is going to be unmissable. You're going to see thrilling action, electric atmospheres, and be quick, because those remaining tickets are really selling fast."

Welsh winger Rees-Zammit felt he was wasting talent during NFL stint
Welsh winger Rees-Zammit felt he was wasting talent during NFL stint

CNA

time2 hours ago

  • CNA

Welsh winger Rees-Zammit felt he was wasting talent during NFL stint

Louis Rees-Zammit said he felt he was wasting his talent during his NFL stint with the Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars but has no regrets about pursuing the American football adventure. The Welsh winger signed for Bristol Bears for the 2025-26 Premiership Rugby season on Thursday, marking his return to union after an 18-month stint in the NFL. The 24-year-old had joined the Chiefs in March last year after impressing scouts at the NFL International Player Pathway. However, the four-times Super Bowl champions left him off their roster for the 2024 season. He later joined the Jaguars, first as part of their practice squad last August and then on their active roster in February, before opting to return to rugby union last month. "I just felt like I was kind of wasting my talent out there," he told British media on Tuesday. "I gave it my best shot but it's very difficult to get into the NFL if you haven't gone through the college system, you just don't get the same opportunities as those boys. "It makes sense from a coach's point of view, because those boys have been playing that sport for so long and it's hard to coach someone up on the sport they've never played before ..." Despite leaving the NFL having never played in a regular-season game, Rees-Zammit said he had no regrets about giving it a shot and that he had learned so much from the likes of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. "Just to be involved in a locker room that was completely different to rugby, next to global figures like Mahomes and Kelce, I learned from everything they did day to day...," he added.

New arrivals handled the pressure well in LaLiga opener, says Real Madrid's Alonso
New arrivals handled the pressure well in LaLiga opener, says Real Madrid's Alonso

CNA

time5 hours ago

  • CNA

New arrivals handled the pressure well in LaLiga opener, says Real Madrid's Alonso

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said Trent Alexander-Arnold and the club's other new signings had performed well in their LaLiga opener on Tuesday and did not seem to be weighed down by the pressure of playing in front of an expectant home crowd. Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras all started in the 1-0 win over Osasuna while 18-year-old midfielder Franco Mastantuono came on as a substitute. Kylian Mbappe's 51st-minute penalty earned the hosts victory. "I didn't feel that the shirt or the Bernabeu weighed them down," Alonso told reporters of the new arrivals. "The four of them performed well, maybe not spectacularly. But they were solid, they didn't make any mistakes, they weren't nervous and they were well integrated into the team. "Those who started and Mastantuono, who came on in the second half, brought energy. This mix has been good with those who were already there ... As a first take, I can take a lot of positives from it." Rodrygo was an unused substitute against Osasuna, as media reports link the 24-year-old Brazil winger with a move to Manchester City, but Alonso said people should not read too much into his recent lack of game time. "Today it's just one game, we can leave the rest behind," he added. "What counts is this season and of course I'm counting on Rodrygo. It's just one game, we shouldn't read too far into the future."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store