Victoria Pendleton Quotes

"I'm definitely capable of just enjoying riding my bike these days."

"I beat myself up the whole time because I'm striving for something I'll basically never achieve. I portray this image of confidence, of arrogance, and it's not really me. I'm never satisfied, and I'm never content. It means I'm a bit of a mess some of the time."

"People will put restrictions on your ability, on your aptitude, on your talent, on your character, and to be honest, it's just opinion. Don't let anyone put you in a box or draw your path for you."

"I've seen pictures of me, and I look mean and arrogant. That's how I felt on the inside. I think now, 'Is that really me?'"

"The sprint is sometimes like a toss of a coin. Sometimes it's heads, and sometimes it's tails."

"I'm not one for going out on the town on Friday night, as I've never been a big drinker, so I like getting the rubbish jobs out of the way so we can enjoy our free time."

"I used to have a rant all the time when things went wrong, at everybody around me, because you just have to get the frustration out."

"A car is a killing machine. It's like waving a loaded gun. People don't realise how dangerous they are."

"I am a self-critical perfectionist."

"My success has got so great, it's like I'm trapped, almost, within it."

"The sponsorship offers have been amazing. I have to turn down a lot."

"I naturally favour a clean, healthy diet. A salad sandwich is one of my favourite meals!"

"I normally don't listen to my instincts because I'm so full of doubt."

"It's a very unique feeling - to be that strong and unbreakable. But I'm working towards it."

"I'm someone who wears their heart on their sleeve."

"I find it hard to act other than the way I feel."

"I was just, like, all I want to do is be really good at something. Really, really good at something, so people are vaguely impressed by me."

"I'm not the perfect model of what an athlete should be, mentally or physically."

"I've always been very open with my emotions. Actually, that's got me into a lot of trouble, too, in the past."

"I was constantly being told I shouldn't talk so much about how I was feeling. They seemed to think I was giving too much away to my competitors. Showing signs of weakness. But I've always thought that was rubbish."

"I've never pretended that I'm not female and vulnerable. To me, it's just being honest."

"We are all totally committed as elite athletes. To think that pushing people around and bullying them is the best way to get results out of them is just ludicrous."

"Don't get me wrong: there are some fantastic people who work at British Cycling who kept me together, who were there when I was struggling with it all. They were walking the same tightrope in many ways, because if you do speak up, your days are numbered."

"I never really felt I had the same respect as my male team-mates. My opinion wasn't worth as much. I used to sit quietly in meetings and not say anything, as I knew my opinions would be disregarded. And that's after I had become Olympic champion and multiple world champion."

"I go round and round in circles, really, really fast, on a big wooden bowl."

"I turn left for a living."

"I like heels and make-up."

"As a kid growing up - I can see now - it didn't matter what I did, as long as it was something I could be really good at. Cycling just happened to be the opportunity that came along."

"I was put on a pony as a kid at some birthday party when you're all led around."

"As you ride in a steeplechase, and you're on the horse, going quite fast, you think, 'That's quite a big fence...' But trust the horse, and don't give him any reason to doubt you."