Sir Bradley Wiggins reveals his children were bullied after Lance Armstrong scandal
Sir Bradley Wiggins moved his children to a new school because of Lance Armstrong's drugs revelations.
Last Updated: 05/02/14 10:47am
The Team Sky star became the first British winner of cycling's most prestigious race in 2012. Several months later, Lance Armstrong, a seven-time winner of the event, admitted he had taken drugs.
Wiggins revealed his two children had suffered "horrendous" bullying because of Armstrong's revelations.
"That (Tour win) changed everything," Wiggins said. "I left home pretty much unknown and came home the most famous man in the country for that week.
"It was hard for me and the family. It affected them as well. The Lance Armstrong thing in January... my kids started getting harassed at school. 'Is your dad on drugs? He won the Tour. Is he the same as Lance Armstrong?'
"Horrendous stuff. Horrible. My son getting bullied at school. I had to move my kids from that school and move them to another school.
"I felt responsible for that and it all added to my unhappiness at the time. But a year on, it feels like a complete contrast. I feel much more comfortable in my own shoes now."
Freedom
Wiggins also said he is hoping to help Chris Froome on this year's Tour.
Froome won last year's Tour but failed to make the same impact on the public as Wiggins, who was knighted.
"I kind of felt I won the public over, especially the French public, two years ago," Wiggins said. "It's like the film Gladiator, you win the public and you win your freedom.
"I kind of won my freedom, whereas the opposite happened with Chris if you like. It would be nice to go back to the Tour and, if anything, just take the pressure off Chris a little bit. Take some of those questions for him and challenge people for him."
