The Chain (Hardback)

Bradley Wiggins was the biggest name in British sport in 2012 — Olympic champion, Tour de France winner, national icon. Everyone thought they knew who “Wiggo” was. But the truth, as he reveals in this powerful and deeply personal memoir, is far more complicated.

The Chain tells the real story behind the medals and the myth. Wiggins opens up about a chaotic childhood marked by abandonment and abuse, and how the bike became both his escape and his armour. Fame only made things harder. Off the bike he felt like a “shadow‑man”, crushed by self‑doubt, terrified of attention and trapped behind the mask of “Sir Wiggo”, the lovable rogue the public expected him to be.

As his inner world unravelled, Wiggins spiralled into addiction and despair — a period he openly admits could have cost him his life. What followed is the most remarkable journey he has ever taken: a raw, honest confrontation with the demons he’d spent decades outrunning.

This is Bradley Wiggins as we’ve never seen him. No disguises. No bravado. Just a man finally understanding himself, breaking free from the past and choosing to live on his own terms. The Chain is a story of survival, identity and hope — and a reminder that even our greatest heroes fight battles we never see