Bradley Wiggins opened up about his often difficult relationship with cycling and the personal problems and trauma it has created in his life

Wiggins spoke to the TV host for a so-called "fireside chat" at the British National Cycling Show in Birmingham on Sunday. I sat down with my mentor and fellow former professional Matt Stevens. He also spoke to our sister's title cycling weekly in an exclusive interview. 

Questions about the risk of his bankruptcy were not welcome, but Wiggins seemed happy to sit in front of the public at the bike show. He also revealed that he will return to the Tour de France this year for the race broadcaster, but details have not yet been confirmed. 

Despite reports of his financial difficulties, he seems to be in a better place than in recent years.  

"I still feel uncomfortable being the center of attention. That little will never leave me," admitted Wiggins.

On Friday, Wiggins' lawyer Alan Sellers revealed details of his financial problems to the Daily Mail as far as suggesting Wiggins was "sofa surfing" and "basically homeless."

"He lost absolutely everything. His family home, his home in Mallorca, his savings and investments. He does not have a penny. It's a very sad state," the mail told the seller.

Wiggins was recently estimated in 2017 to be worth £1,300 million, but after a recent bankruptcy hearing he is now owed nearly £100 million in debt.

According to his lawyers, Wiggins is the latest sports star to suffer a financial disaster after entrusting their business affairs to people who did not act in their best interests.

"When it comes to their financial problems, they just get shafted because they're so busy being sportsmen. That's what happened to Brad," Sellers said. 

Wiggins hopes to recover some of his lost millions through legal action as part of his bankruptcy agreement. 

Last year Wiggins told cycling Weekly that his financial difficulties were "a very historical issue with negligence on the job, leaving an s*** pile with my name in front."

Wiggins won the 2012 Tour de France and won gold in the London Olympic Time trial. He is the first ever British tour winner and has won 5 Olympic gold Medals in his long career.

His success and persona made Wiggins very popular in the UK, but also intensified his love-hate relationship with the sport.

Wiggins used several therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificates to take potent steroids to treat asthma by Fancy Bears hackers in 2016.

He retired in 2016 and in 2022 revealed details of the grooming and sexual abuse he claimed suffered when he was 10. It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends and family. He also talked about his mental health problems and moments of isolation.

Wiggins has recently come back to talk about his career at a public event and hundreds of people chanted his chat with Matt Stevens on Sunday

"I've always been around cycling and just as much as I've tried to push it away in the past, it's always been there." Wiggins

"You fall in love or fall in love with things, or you have enough of it, or sometimes it becomes obsessive like me," he said, noting that after a period when he didn't even watch the race, he now finds a "happy balance." It is said that he put it on.

Wiggins is not back on his bike, but has a busy job at Applied Nutrition, a sports nutrition brand. He also works with volunteers and young criminals.

Wiggins is now 44, but is still trying to understand the impact his cycling success has had on his life. During the peak of his career at Team Sky, Wiggins hid his true feelings.

"I had this extreme confidence in the bike, but in retrospect, I was quite controversial at times. I was pretty sweaty and I could get hot and cold some days. And especially the veils, drinkers and stuff I adopted when I was this rock and roll star in 2012...It was public to disguise and distract who I really was

"I wasn't comfortable enough to just sit down and have a normal conversation with someone." I would have to play a character because I didn't really know who I was..."

Wiggins admits that he has not "fallen in love" with cycling, but a few years later he is now enjoying the sport while chasing the successful career of his son Ben from afar. 

"I'm not involved in his cycling. I'm just his dad and I think it's an important thing to say. I just want to be his dad," he explained, admitting that watching his son emulate him as a teenager "dragged a lot.""

"I was stuck in my own little world," Wiggins admitted, but now I understand that the love of the cycling masses can help. 

"Cycling is just part of the fabric of who I am and I don't want to label it as love or not love. I'm slowly edging my way back...That's what I accepted again, but did not fall in love with...I'm still keeping it at arm's length.

"I think maybe there's a new role for me and a new kind of 'inspiration' to guess if it's the right word even if it's not too selfish.

"I'm more satisfied with the skin than ever before. Life is pretty good at the moment. I just need to keep along that trajectory and take care of myself.

"People are saying, "I think your best year is before you," and that's a great perspective.