Wirral Olympic champion Chris Boardman looks back during book signing

The Hoylake-born sportsman was the first British cyclist to win Olympic gold for 75 years when he stormed to victory on his iconic Lotus bike at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

He went on to break the world hour record three times.

His autobiography - Chris Boardman Triumphs & Tribulations - charts these successes. It also looks at life away from the track.

But, as Gayton-based Chris revealed during a book signing at Lingham's in Heswall on Tuesday afternoon, plans for the book were very nearly shelved.

He told the Globe: "I didn't want to write a book, but sort of got talked into it by an amazingly clever guy called Andrew Goodfellow from Ebury Publishing.

"We had a coffee and decided to do the book. We had a ghost-writer, who did a chapter with us.

"I read it and thought 'that’s not me, it's not my voice, it's not the things I’d focus on, so it's only going to happen if I do it myself'.

"So I got half way through and a year behind and thought 'right I'm not doing this'.

Chris Boardman MBE during book signing in Heswall. Picture: Craig Manning

"I had another coffee with Andrew Goodfellow, telling him 'here's your money back, don't want to do it', but came out still writing the book - with some help.

"I knuckled down and got on with. It took two-and-a-half years, but I'm quite satisfied with it.

"It was quite a cathartic experience to go back through your own past.

"In some ways, you have to apologise to people too, because I was bit of a so-and-so when I was a kid.

"It's warts-and-all to a point, but I also met some amazing people along the way. So it's been nice to talk about that."

Chris was bronze medallist in Atlanta in 1996 in the road race.

He went on to break the world hour record three times, wearing the yellow jersey on three separate occasions at the Tour de France, and became the sport's best ever prologue rider.

It was those lone achievements that provided the spark that started the modern era for British cycling.

Since retiring from professional racing, Chris has held various positions at British Cycling, including head of research and development which has created world leading equipment designs and coaching methods.

He is British Cycling's policy advisor, applying his knowledge to relating to transport policy and cycle safety and a BBC and ITV commentator.

In 2012, he carried the Olympic Flame in Birkenhead Park as part of its tour of the country and is also patron of the Wirral Bikeathon.

A wide range of material for a series of books, perhaps?

"No chance", Chris laughed, adding "I'd never write a book again.

Chris Boardman MBE during his book signing in Heswall. Picture: Craig Manning

"I've done a lot of things where I've tried them and, in some cases, found that I'm not good at it and moved on to, at risk of sounding melodramatic, the next thing that comes along; be it business or working with the British Cycling Team in the management department, writing books or making something out of wood.

"Whatever it is, I just like new experiences, really.

"I'm not someone for looking back, at all.

"I'll only look back if there's something to learn and apply to something else I was going to do.

"I get passionate and obsessed by the next thing."

Looking back on career highlights, he said: "If there was one thing that's been truly satisfying and a really good use of life I would say it is the work I’m doing to try to make cycling a normal form of transport for normal people doing normal things.

"If we can get to 2025 with 10 per cent of journeys done by people just moving around by bikes, doing normal everyday things like going to school, shopping or whatever, I would say that would be really satisfying thing to do.

"It's a challenge, but I think it's inevitable that this will happen. 

"It might take 20 years instead of five, depending on the area.

"In London, for example, it's stark facts that there are 10,000 people coming into the capital every month and not leaving.

"Cycling is the only way to move people around any distance, so they have to do it.

"The increase in numbers of cyclists in London is phenomenal. Sixty percent of traffic at peak times, where the super highways are, is bikes, and that's a wonderful thing.

"In Wirral, it's about two percent. There's no investment or space made and the current level of normal people doing normal things on bikes won't change until they feel safe and it's appealing.

"We’ve got a wonderful place.

"We could link up the promenades and have a two-way lane just for bikes, as they do in virtually every one-way street in London."

Chris said it was a pleasure to do a book signing in Heswall, but added: "It's very curious doing a book-signing at 'home'.

"I noticed in one of the publications it said Chris Boardman in Heswall tomorrow - but it's funny, because I'm in Heswall every day.

"We've just bought a house down in Gayton, so it's certainly the shortest commute I've ever had."