Who is Victoria Pendleton? Age, career and partner revealed
3 November 2020, 08:43 | Updated: 23 November 2020, 16:54
How old is Victoria Pendleton and what tattoos does she have? Here's what we know...
Don’t Rock The Boat has started on ITV, with 12 celebrities taking on the mammoth challenge of rowing across the whole length of the UK.
And olympic champion Victoria Pendleton is one of the stars attempting to make the journey, alongside the likes of Adam Thomas and Jack Fincham.
But what do we know about Victoria and her cycling career? Find out everything…
How old is Victoria Pendleton?
Victoria Pendleton is 40-years-old and made her name as a track cyclist turned jockey.
The sportswoman was born in Bedfordshire, England and her dad Max Pendleton is also a keen cyclist and former British National 8 km grass track cycling champion.
Read More: How many episodes are there of Don't Rock The Boat?
She is a former Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth champion and has two Olympic gold medals and one silver.
In March 2015, Victoria announced she was becoming a jockey with the aim of competing at the Foxhunter Chase at the 2016 Cheltenham Festival.
She made her competitive debut in August 2015, finishing second in the Betfair Novice Flat Amateur Riders' Handicap and won her first race in March 2016.
Victoria was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours[5] and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to cycling.
She also took part in Strictly Come Dancing alongside Brendan Cole in 2012.
Read More: When was Don't Rock The Boat filmed?
Who is Victoria Pendleton’s boyfriend?
Victoria was married to husband Scott Gardner for five years.
The pair met at work as Scott is a sports scientist for the British cycling coaching team.
In 2019, Victoria announced they were getting a divorce with a Twitter statement.
After 10 years together I am very sad to say that Scott and I have grown apart, despite our best efforts in trying to make our marriage work, we have come to the decision to go our separate ways. It has been an extremely difficult time and a tough decision to make........ pic.twitter.com/i0T8TApQgc
— Victoria Pendleton (@v_pendleton) July 3, 2018
She told fans: “After 10 years together I am very sad to say that Scott and I have grown apart, despite our best efforts in trying to make our marriage work, we have come to the decision to go our separate ways.”
Victoria continued: “It has been an extremely difficult time and a tough decision to make.
“We want to look ahead to the future and stay positive. We would both gratefully appreciate our privacy being respected as we navigate what is a deeply personal time for us.”
Two years after her divorce, the former track cycling champion has said she is dating again.
She told Hello! magazine: "It's all really good, so I'm very, very happy about it," she tells us with a smile.
"After the divorce, it took a while for me to get into the right headspace to start dating, but yes, I've got a boyfriend and it's really good.”
What tattoos does Victoria Pendleton have?
Victoria is covered in incredible coloured tattoos all up her arms.
Speaking about the inspiration behind them, she previously told The Sun: “The thing with the tattoos is, I really feel like I’m in a position in my life where being judged doesn’t concern me.
“I’m not afraid of being myself any more. Whereas before, being an athlete, I always felt I had to stick to the guidelines and try to be a good role model – all these things kept me in a very confined space.
“But I’ve always been the kind of girl that wanted to ride a motorcycle and liked heavy metal. I’m a big contradiction. I’m someone who sticks to the rules, but I like to do things that are a little bit out there. Everyone finds me very confusing.”
