Sir Bradley Wiggins backing son, Ben, to achieve something that he never could

Ben Wiggins heads to London after success at the Tour of Britain and his father is looking forward to see him shine in London

Bradley Wiggins has used his own relationship with his father to shape his bond with son Ben – and hopes the newest Wiggins on the cycling scene can achieve something he never managed.

Now 21, Ben Wiggins has started to establish himself as a rising force on two wheels, both on the road and the track. The latter is where Bradley Wiggins first made his name, winning four of his five Olympic gold medals in the velodrome but victory at London Six Day always eluded him.

The competition has now been slimmed down to London 3 Day, and after finishing third and second in each of the last two years, Ben Wiggins is aiming to go one better than his dad’s best result. This is London 3 Day’s third year, and it continues to grow – bringing world-class track racing and a brilliant live atmosphere back to London.

Bradley Wiggins said: “In the last two years he’s finished third, second. So he’s got a chance to do something I didn’t do. We, me and Cav (Mark Cavendish), got second. So definitely, it would be a great thing if it happens.”

Wiggins’ father, Gary, was an Australian professional cyclist who competed regularly on the Six Day circuit. Wiggins senior was not part of Bradley’s life growing up, and he has spoken previously about wanting to prove himself to his father and how that drove him on.

They did reunite later in Gary’s life before he died following a fight at a house party in 2008. Given the dynamics of that relationship, Bradley Wiggins was keen to ensure that his own father-son connection with Ben was very different.

He explained: “The only thing I decided a long time ago was, and it was probably informed by my own relationship with my dad, first and foremost, I wanted to be his dad.

“He always looked at me as his hero, and it was in an unhealthy way, I thought. I think establishing our relationship as father and son – win or lose for him, I’m still his dad and still there for him – has served us well over time.

“If he wins, I’m his biggest supporter. If he loses, like any dad, I stick my arm around him. I never wanted to be the one saying, “Right then, you didn’t do this right, you didn’t do that right.”

“My level of expectation, I never wanted to put that on him. In doing that, he’s always got a supportive dad who, win or lose, is going to be there for the rest of his life.

“He’s found his own way through the sport, navigating it, and he’s had success as well. I think he’s become his own person. It’s not about repeating what I did or trying to emulate what I did. I think that’s important.”

Given Bradley Wiggins’ success on the bike – Britain’s first-ever Tour de France champion and a five-time Olympic champion – he still has plenty of advice to offer if Ben ever requires it.

And while he is always conscious of not overstepping the mark and interfering with coach’s plans, he is happy to share his mental approach to elite cycling with Ben.

He added: “He tends to come and ask me for things that other people probably can’t give him. His coach has all the conditioning stuff.

“There are things that he asks me, particularly about the mental side of it, the preparation and what you should be thinking going into it. So that’s quite nice, that I’m able to give him that from my own experience.

“Although the sport’s changed quite a lot, and maybe the preparation might change, the fuelling strategies and all that, the mental mindset going into something where you’ve got to arrive and be as fast as possible, that’s remained the same since the start of time.”

London 3 Day returns to Lee Valley VeloPark from 13-15 November 2026, bringing together the world’s fastest riders, Olympic champions and cycling’s next superstars. Tickets and information: www.london3day.com | Instagram @LND3DAY