Vicky Pendleton story Wed 18 July on TV 9pm

NervexProf
NervexProf Posts: 4,202
edited July 2012 in Pro race
Victoria Pendleton: Cycling's Golden Girl, 9pm, Wednesday 18 July, BBC One.

'
Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom
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Comments

  • TheEnglishman
    TheEnglishman Posts: 587
    So absolutely no pressure on her then.... :roll:
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  • lucan
    lucan Posts: 339
    I just hope she keeps her clothes on. Seems every time she sees a camera these days, she whips her kit off!








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  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    Similarly:

    ITV4, Thursday 9pm: Bradley Wiggins: A Very British Champion

    Seems like tempting fate with that title.
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  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Lucan wrote:
    I just hope she keeps her clothes on. Seems every time she sees a camera these days, she whips her kit off!

    What do you mean?!?!

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  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Lucan wrote:
    I just hope she keeps her clothes on. Seems every time she sees a camera these days, she whips her kit off!
    Perhaps it's going to be one of those cheesy drama-documentaries that American networks love.
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  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Both Tivo'd.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    Lucan wrote:
    I just hope she keeps her clothes on. Seems every time she sees a camera these days, she whips her kit off!








    [or am I using the wrong words in the Google search box?] :oops:

    I'm not complaining about that :D

    Although for someone that keeps getting her kit off she still never manages to show anything :x
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    What do you expect? Hamburger shots? ;-)
  • RoadPainter
    RoadPainter Posts: 375
    Just watched it on iPlayer. Great story really well told. Love the way that she crumples in Melbourne and Dave Brailsford just goes "Steve!"
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    Can't believe the unrest she caused in the squad sulking after her fiancee had to leave the set-up. Surely in choosing to have a relationship they accepted the coach / athlete relationship would have to stop? I'm also surprised that BC were prepared to pander to her rather than just work at bringing through other riders, I guess that's the pressure of the home Olympics and the one rider per nation rule though.
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    Pross wrote:
    Can't believe the unrest she caused in the squad sulking after her fiancee had to leave the set-up. Surely in choosing to have a relationship they accepted the coach / athlete relationship would have to stop? I'm also surprised that BC were prepared to pander to her rather than just work at bringing through other riders, I guess that's the pressure of the home Olympics and the one rider per nation rule though.

    Watched it last night and I saw it the other way, I saw BC as slightly inflexible and only caring about their goals intially and then realising they had to change to get better out of the athelete. I mean it never worked for someone like Paula Radcliffe did it...

    For me Brailsford came across as someone who cares about the results, not the athelete.

    My overiding impression was that mentally whilst having amazing thoughness she's also a mess - and her Dad came across as quite bitter at times
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  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    I felt quite sorry for her. Seems like she has had a pretty miserable life up to now. Her dad seemed like a t*at. Standing in front of the Rainbow jersey she gave him, I thought he was going to say, 'What a great day that was, I was so proud.' But instead we got, 'Wish I'd won one.'

    Seems she has always been trying to please others rather than herself and needed constant reassurance as a result. For all the success I don't think I'd have wanted to be in her shoes.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Slim Boy Fat wrote:
    I felt quite sorry for her. Seems like she has had a pretty miserable life up to now. Her dad seemed like a t*at. Standing in front of the Rainbow jersey she gave him, I thought he was going to say, 'What a great day that was, I was so proud.' But instead we got, 'Wish I'd won one.'Seems she has always been trying to please others rather than herself and needed constant reassurance as a result. For all the success I don't think I'd have wanted to be in her shoes.

    This.

    He came across as a hard and mean old b*stard. He may well be able to turn around now and say "but she ended up a World Champ" but it seemed to be all about his own bitterness in not getting a chance.

    I have two girls aged 8 and 10 who club swim and do athletics. I hope I'm not like old man Pendleton.
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  • carl_p
    carl_p Posts: 989
    I didn't realise she is such an emotional "human being". If you compare the programme with the documentary on Wiggins last night, you realise what demanding people there are at Team Sky/GB. In addition Vicky seems to pile pressure on herself and it is not surprising she seems an emotional wreck.

    I didn't think she was sulking when her partner had to leave the set up like some have suggested, just naturally upset - shock horror. Moreover the attitude from Team GB is from the dark ages to say the least.

    No denying her drive and commitment - 6 days a week training for the last 10 years :shock: Good luck to her.
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  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,392
    Fascinating stuff. Interesting that although there were rules about coaches and athletes getting involved, VP's fiancee has been brought back on board after initially getting the chop. I guess they've sussed she'll go faster when she's happy!

    Seems odd such a rule exists between two people in their mid to late 20s. I can see why you'd not want coaches getting close (emotionally or physically) to younger athletes, obviously.

    VP's Dad came over as decidely odd. I resolved to ensure I keep things under control at Sports Day... :)
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,392
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    I have two girls aged 8 and 10 who club swim and do athletics. I hope I'm not like old man Pendleton.

    The fact you raise it as an issue would suggest you aren't, I would say!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    Of course it is more about the results than the athletes. That's how it has to be, no results = a cut in funding = lots of people out work, less riders getting developed = less results = vicious circle

    It is a professional sport, there's no room for sentiment in there and you can't make a decision to support an individual if that risks the whole dynamic of the group as a whole.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    Her dad came across as the classic case of living your dreams through your kids.
  • Routier
    Routier Posts: 94
    One of the saddest moments was when she'd just won the Worlds through her opponent (Meares?) having left her lane and she broke down in tears. All the GB staff could do was keep telling her that she should be smiling and that the media were watching. Heartless.
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    Routier wrote:
    One of the saddest moments was when she'd just won the Worlds through her opponent (Meares?) having left her lane and she broke down in tears. All the GB staff could do was keep telling her that she should be smiling and that the media were watching. Heartless.
    I wouldn't blame them too much, bunch of blokes, crying girl, 'WTF do we do!'.
  • speshsteve
    speshsteve Posts: 352
    way to needy, would drive you insane if you had to work with her
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  • derbygrimpeur
    derbygrimpeur Posts: 822
    Slim Boy Fat wrote:
    Routier wrote:
    One of the saddest moments was when she'd just won the Worlds through her opponent (Meares?) having left her lane and she broke down in tears. All the GB staff could do was keep telling her that she should be smiling and that the media were watching. Heartless.
    I wouldn't blame them too much, bunch of blokes, crying girl, 'WTF do we do!'.

    think Routier's reading too much into it. They were trying to remind her that the moment was a good moment.

    I actually came away from watching the documentary feeling a bit disappointed that she's so high maintenance.
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,392
    derbygrimpeur wrote:
    I actually came away from watching the documentary feeling a bit disappointed that she's so high maintenance.

    The clue is in your use of the word "she"... :)

    Life would be dull for the coaches if everyone was a robot.
  • derbygrimpeur
    derbygrimpeur Posts: 822
    not expecting a robot, but happier would be good. She was such a moany tart (and far less attractive than the glossy photos that we see on the internet - I hope Lizzie Armitstead is a cracker in real life)
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    derbygrimpeur wrote:
    not expecting a robot, but happier would be good. She was such a moany tart (and far less attractive than the glossy photos that we see on the internet - I hope Lizzie Armitstead is a cracker in real life)

    I don't know about that but I think she falls into the moaner category though.

    I lost respect for Pendleton after the false start incident with Shanaze Reid in the team sprint 18 months or so back, the documentary just reinforced that impression. It would be easy to say it is how they have to behave to make it in a sports environment but having met some of the other elite women I know it isn't the case across the board.
  • derbygrimpeur
    derbygrimpeur Posts: 822
    ah well, maybe it's better just to look at the pictures then ;)
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    Got to admire Sutton's candidness about the coaching issue that arose. He certainly told it like it was. He wouldn't be Australian by any chance would he?

    I read an article on the 87 Tour a few years back and he was one of the ANC Halfords riders that year. In the "where are they now" section he said if he ever saw Tony Capper again he'd punch him. Top straight talk! I love that team and the against the odds story. I've not read wide eyed and legless yet but will do one day.
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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,181
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    Got to admire Sutton's candidness about the coaching issue that arose. He certainly told it like it was. He wouldn't be Australian by any chance would he?

    I read an article on the 87 Tour a few years back and he was one of the ANC Halfords riders that year. In the "where are they now" section he said if he ever saw Tony Capper again he'd punch him. Top straight talk! I love that team and the against the odds story. I've not read wide eyed and legless yet but will do one day.

    I used to go to coaching sessions that Sutton ran when he was given the job of Welsh coach back in the early 90s. Yes, he is definitely a stereotypical Aussie!
  • tremayne
    tremayne Posts: 378
    Slim Boy Fat wrote:
    Routier wrote:
    One of the saddest moments was when she'd just won the Worlds through her opponent (Meares?) having left her lane and she broke down in tears. All the GB staff could do was keep telling her that she should be smiling and that the media were watching. Heartless.
    I wouldn't blame them too much, bunch of blokes, crying girl, 'WTF do we do!'.


    This for me was a classic (and very telling) moment of what was a superb documentary. Brailsford goes to give Pendleton a hug or whatever. She literally drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes, sobbing. His very first words???

    "Steve. STEVE! Where's Steve??" (psycologist)

    Poor Pendleton! What an emotional rollercoaster she has truly had.

    Without her dad - probably no golds, no success.

    With her dad - lifelong feelings of never having achieved enough (oh - and some golds / world champs!)
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    Perhaps that's because they're all following orders and pursuing targets under fear of not having their contracts renewed. Empathy takes a back seat.
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