Victoria Pendleton

Victoria Pendleton, 33, is a former Olympic gold winning track cyclist who specialised in the sprint and keirin disciplines. She represented Great Britain and England in international competitions, winning nine world titles. In the 2012 London Olympics, she won a gold for the keirin and silver for her sprint.

Victoria first began cycling at the age of six during youth hostelling holidays with her family. It was at the age of 9 when she started to take it more seriously and would compete against her twin brother.

Her first taste of major success came in the 2004 World Cup event in Manchester, where she finished first.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Victoria Pendleton and Jess Varnish broke the world record in the qualifying stages of the team sprint before being relegated in the semis.

In her final competitive race, Victoria set a new Olympic record of 10.724 seconds in the qualifiers of the sprint but lost in the final to Anna Meares. She then retired from professional cycling.

• First memory of baking is with Mum in the kitchen, standing on a chair (with the back to the wall for safety!) so that she could see. She used to observe more than help. Made simple things as a kid like fairy cakes and sponges.
• She’s a very messy baker. Everything ends up all over the floor. Mum’s advice is slow down and tidy as you go.
• When preparing food for friends at home, Victoria cooks wearing a “dodgy hairnet”. She’d die if her hair got in her food.

• Never really made a tray bake before being asked to do the show – just brownies – so she has been using her Mum as a guinea pig to practise her recipe ideas on.
• Nervous about meeting Mary and Paul. She saw Mary at Ascot this year as they were in the same Royal Box, but she didn’t know what to say to her.
• She hopes her involvement in Bake Off will be entertaining and hopes she can encourage viewers to take part in the Sport Relief Cycle.