Sir Bradley Wiggins says he is ‘lucky to be here’ after cocaine addiction

Sir Bradley Wiggins has revealed he became addicted to cocaine following his retirement from cycling and is “lucky to be here”.

The 2012 Tour de France winner and five-time Olympic champion said his children wanted to put him in rehab amid fears the issue could prove fatal.

Father-of-two Wiggins is now 12 months sober, attends regular therapy sessions, and feels “a lot more at peace” with himself.

“There were times my son thought I was going to be found dead in the morning,” he said, according to the Observer.

“I was a functioning addict. People wouldn’t realise. I was high most of the time for many years.

“I was walking a tightrope. I realised I had a huge problem. I had to stop. I’m lucky to be here.”

Since ending his career in 2016, Wiggins has spoken about his father’s jealousy and being groomed by a coach as a child.

The 45-year-old, who last year was declared bankrupt, said disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has helped his recovery, including offering to pay for therapy.

“My addiction was a way of easing that pain that I lived with,” said Wiggins, according to Cycling Weekly.

“I’m still figuring a lot of this out but what I have got is a lot more control of myself and my triggers; I’m a lot more at peace with myself now which is a really big thing.”