Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton has paid a heartfelt tribute to her father Max, who has died after what she described as a “long struggle with Parkinson’s disease”.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist shared the sad news on Monday, revealing that her father had also been battling Parkinson’s-related dementia in his later years.
His passing comes two years after the death of Pendleton’s twin brother, Alex, who lost his fight with brain cancer in 2023 aged 42.
“The picture of Alex and Max is how I want to remember them both, not taking the moment seriously,” she wrote.
Victoria Pendleton shared a photo of her father, Max, and her twin brother Alex in her heartfelt post on social media
|“On the 11th of October my father Max Pendleton passed away after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease and more recently Parkinson’s dementia. He fought hard to the finish line as he always did.”
Pendleton, 45, said she was “grateful” for her father’s role in nurturing her passion for cycling and supporting her rise to the top of the sport.
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“I am so grateful for his dedication to cycling and his unwavering belief in me, even if I didn’t always recognise it,” she said. “I certainly wouldn’t have achieved anything without him and I am thankful for all I have experienced as a result.
"He always pushed himself — I admired that in him and tried my best to emulate. More significantly he has encouraged and enabled countless individuals into the sport of cycling. Rest in peace. Love you, Dad.”
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Victoria Pendleton won gold at the 2012 Olympic games in London
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Max Pendleton was himself an accomplished amateur cyclist and played a key role in developing grassroots racing opportunities in the UK, organising local events and encouraging young riders into the sport. It was at those events that Victoria first discovered her love for cycling before going on to become one of Britain’s most decorated Olympians.
During her illustrious career, Pendleton won nine World Championship titles and claimed two Olympic gold medals — in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 — before retiring after her home Games.
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Since hanging up her bike, she has pursued a range of new challenges. She took up horse racing in 2015, earning a second-place finish on her competitive debut and later riding to fifth in the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham.
She even trained briefly in jousting and took part in an attempted Mount Everest climb alongside TV presenter Ben Fogle in 2018, which was cut short due to altitude sickness.
Victoria Pendleton lost her twin brother Alex in 2023
|Pendleton has also been open about her struggles with mental health, speaking candidly in past interviews about depression and suicidal thoughts following her retirement and divorce.
She credited sports psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters with helping her through one of her darkest moments, saying she was “grateful” he answered her call for help.