Victoria Pendleton - interview in Mail on Sunday

NFMC

Did anyone read the interview in yesterday's paper?

In a nutshell she was moaning that she didn't get as much attention as the other Beijing gold medallists as she 'only' won one medal. The gist was that if female sprinting had as many options for medals as the mens diod then she'd be as famous as Chris Hoy.

Now, to me, she may be making a fair point but she came across as very ungrateful. I mean, if she wasn't as gorgeous as she is she'd be getting practically no attention at all.

socrates

She was also whining that she was fed up with people asking her to show her medal. Maybe she should make up her mind what she wants.

George Murdoch

Good Luck to Victoria, perhaps the girl needs a proper Publicist, she is doing a worthwhile sport which takes physical effort !

singlespeedexplosif

I mean, if she wasn't as gorgeous as she is she'd be getting practically no attention at all.
true dat. Nobody gives a sh1t about Nicole Cooke

Frank the tank

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

I mean, if she wasn't as gorgeous as she is she'd be getting practically no attention at all.
true dat. Nobody gives a sh1t about Nicole Cooke

The very same thought occured to me. :!:

Chip \'oyler

She's not that gorgeous :roll:

dilemna

Didn't Rebecca Romero win a few gongs as well?
Any of them can show me their medals anytime.

George Murdoch wrote:

Good Luck to Victoria, perhaps the girl needs a proper Publicist, she is doing a worthwhile sport which takes physical effort !

Which publicist would that be? George Murdoch by any chance?

Sirius631

She'll just have to take her clothes off again.

Reminds me of that Lilly Alan song, which goes something like this:

I'll take my clothes off, it will be shameless,
'Cause everyone knows that's how you get famous.

warrior4life

she really isnt that nice to look at, just an average girl really.

FCE2007

Must admit I'm a 'Rebecca' man

McBain_v1

warrior4life wrote:

she really isnt that nice to look at, just an average girl really.

Who happens to have an Olympic gold medal - how average is that :?:

NFMC

Average...are you dating a supermodel? She's gorgeous!

DaveyL

NFMC wrote:

Did anyone read the interview in yesterday's paper?

In a nutshell she was moaning that she didn't get as much attention as the other Beijing gold medallists as she 'only' won one medal. The gist was that if female sprinting had as many options for medals as the mens diod then she'd be as famous as Chris Hoy.

Now, to me, she may be making a fair point but she came across as very ungrateful. I mean, if she wasn't as gorgeous as she is she'd be getting practically no attention at all.

I must admit that I didn't really read quite so much jealousy into what she said. She comes across as brutally honest and has been quite frank about the anti-climactic emotions resulting from the huge focus on preparation for Beijing, getting the job done at the Olympics (there must have been huge pressure on her as she only had one event and was the favourite to win by miles so the only "story" in reality would've been if she'd lost) then coming home to be lost amongst the multiple medal winners like Hoy, Wiggins and Romero, who seemed to get a lot of attention due to her switch of sports.

But nonetheless, underlying her point is the fact that there are several men's events in the Olympics for which there is no women's equivalent and I think it is this discrimination that is at the root of the frustration she is expressing.

graeme_s-2

I can see why Pendleton might be frustrated. She's made all the same sacrifices, put in all the effort that Hoy has and she's pretty much as dominant as he is. But because some guys in blazers decided they would only have 1 women's sprint even and 3 men's, she came home with 'only' one gold medal and Chris Hoy came home with 3.

I think she's got every right to feel a bit miffed. She's not asking to be given anything, other than the opportunity to compete in the same number of events as the male sprinters, like she can at the World Championships.

BigJimmyB

Very well put Graeme - couldn't have said it better.

As for being asked to show the medal - it would get on anyone's t1ts after a while, surely.....that doesn't make her a ingrate does it?

robthehungrymonkey

i can see both points of view TBH, I think what Greame said is correct.

But... I have started to get a bit weary of hearing it again and again.
And as said above, Nicole Cooke deserves more credit IMO, and gets less.

LittleB0b

Graeme_S wrote:

I think she's got every right to feel a bit miffed. She's not asking to be given anything, other than the opportunity to compete in the same number of events as the male sprinters, like she can at the World Championships.

+1

LorneC

I actually thought that the interview was a rehash of old news.

Victoria has been open about equalising the number of men's / women's events in the Olympics Cycling Programme. Think she approached the UCI back in October to see if she would have their backing in approaching the IOC about this issue.

Obviously takes some time to filter through to the regular press.

Slow1972

LorneC wrote:

I actually thought that the interview was a rehash of old news.

Victoria has been open about equalising the number of men's / women's events in the Olympics Cycling Programme. Think she approached the UCI back in October to see if she would have their backing in approaching the IOC about this issue.

Obviously takes some time to filter through to the regular press.

I agree, doing another article may also be just about keeping the pressure on the powers that be to do something about it for 2012. It may come across as moaning to some, but they probably won't react unless there is some sustained pressure.

martinwitnam

You all seem to think that Victoria is the most gorgeous of the female riders.
Sorry but Wendy Houvenagel beats her by miles in the looks stakes.

giant_man

NFMC wrote:

Did anyone read the interview in yesterday's paper?

In a nutshell she was moaning that she didn't get as much attention as the other Beijing gold medallists as she 'only' won one medal. The gist was that if female sprinting had as many options for medals as the mens diod then she'd be as famous as Chris Hoy.

Now, to me, she may be making a fair point but she came across as very ungrateful. I mean, if she wasn't as gorgeous as she is she'd be getting practically no attention at all.

No-one like a moaning bitch and it sounds as though she is becoming a 'celebrity' who is quite childish due to the lack of attention she is getting. I don't care how 'gorgeous' she is, if she wants respect which she obviously does, then perhaps she should get down to it and win some more medals. Harsh but true.

singlespeedexplosif

if she wants respect which she obviously does, then perhaps she should get down to it and win some more medals. Harsh but true.
I'll let her know. What other events do you recommend she enters?

DaveyL

Indeed - Olympic gold in the sprint, three medals so far in this Worlds (500 m bronze, team spring silver and sprint gold, her fourth in addition to 2005, 2007 and 2008) with the keirin to come. She really needs to get down to it and win more medals.

At the risk of repeating what several others have already said, the discrimination in track cycling is unacceptable and would not be tolerated in many other sports, I would imagine. Pendleton could possibly have "done a Hoy" at Beijing but there was no team sprint or keirin for her to go after.

grandad3

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

if she wants respect which she obviously does, then perhaps she should get down to it and win some more medals. Harsh but true.
I'll let her know. What other events do you recommend she enters?

how about the shagathon

chuckcork

grandad3 wrote:

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

if she wants respect which she obviously does, then perhaps she should get down to it and win some more medals. Harsh but true.
I'll let her know. What other events do you recommend she enters?

how about the shagathon

I don't think she would kick yo' ass so much as give you a boot in the cods.

teagar

grandad3 wrote:

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

if she wants respect which she obviously does, then perhaps she should get down to it and win some more medals. Harsh but true.
I'll let her know. What other events do you recommend she enters?

how about the shagathon

Talk like that probably p*sses her off as well.

Don't hear any male cyclists being spoken of like that on this forum :roll:

sweep

I can see why she is aggrieved but if anyone has a right to be p*ssed it is Nicole Cooke.

I would rate her event as harder and more competitive than any of the ones other Brits won gold in. I was absolutely overjoyed when she won and impressed when she gave credit straight away to the other riders in her team.

I voted for her on Sports Personality of the Year. Only time I have ever entered a phone vote but she deserved it.

NWLondoner

I can see where VP is coming from. She has spent all that time,energy and effort to get where she is. Then some bigwig says that ladies can only compete in so many events whereas the men can compete if even more events. As a consequence she can only compete for 1 gold whereas she was prepared and ready to win many more if her events had been run. She does also have some demons which she does need to get into control IMO, but that is easy for me or anyone else to say.

Good luck to her and i hope she can achieve EVERYTHING that she sets her targets on.

However, at least her discipline does get TV coverage. When do you ever see womens road cycling on TV??? NC must be even more p*ssed off that womens road cycling is never shown.