Found

We have all been very public witnesses to courage and bravery in everyday life where events and circumstances have placed people in situations of peril and strife. 

We may find ourselves seeking the answer to the question of how we might cope if placed in the same predicament. It is a very natural process to ask that question.  

In a sporting context the level of sacrifice and dedication required to attain the very highest levels of performance and achievement are no less a strain on a physical, mental and emotional level. 

One individual who battled to success and acclaim in professional cycling and earned my admiration and respect over the 20 years of his riding career is Robert Millar. 


12 Tours de France including a 1984 Mountains Jersey win and fourth place overall, twice second in the Vuelta a Espana and wins in the Tour of Britain and Dauphine are just a few of the highlights. After retiring from competition Millar became involved in team management and cycling related journalism. 

Out of the limelight by personal choice there was inevitably a lot of intrusion and speculation by the media including a book entitled “In search of Robert Millar” by Richard Moore. 


I was filled with yet more admiration only yesterday with the following statement published on www.cyclingnews.com

“At the upcoming Tour de France I've been invited to work with ITV4 to help the commentary team bring some first-hand insight into just what's involved in competing at the sport's highest level and, having been privileged to see how Grand Tours are won and lost, it’s a very exciting prospect. To be asked to be one of their experts for certain key moments is a sign that we have moved on in terms of wishing to really understand the complexities involved in cycling, and I’m keen to share my experience of how endlessly fascinating and demanding professional bike racing can be.

The mention of progress and moving on brings me to a much more personal subject concerning the journey I, and those around me, embarked upon at the start of this millennium. The outcome of that journey has meant that for a considerable time now I have lived as Philippa.

As much as I've guarded my privacy over the years there are a few, I believe obvious, reasons to why I haven't had a public "image" since I transitioned. Gratifyingly, times have moved on from ten years ago when my family, friends and I were subjected to the archaic views and prejudice that some people and certain sections of the tabloid media held.

Thankfully gender issues are no longer a subject of such ignorance and intolerance, there's a much better acceptance and understanding. The steps taken over a prolonged period under the watchful eye of the medical profession to complete the transition from one gender to another can be difficult and are always only taken after much soul searching and anguish. And, although the end result is seen as a happier, more stable place, the emotions encountered to get there make for some very vulnerable periods.

While there has been some speculation concerning my gender over the past decade, perhaps it'll now be better understood why unwelcome and unasked for intrusions into that transition have been damaging not only to myself but to those I love. Thankfully the people in my family who I cherish have since matured and grown into strong and independent individuals, therefore the need to protect them has lessened. This, combined with their support, encouragement and the shift in modern society's attitudes, means that this will be a step forward for everyone.

As much as various articles and blogs have been published using my former identity of Robert, well that was then and this is now. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the different organisations and those 'in the know' for guarding my privacy as long as they have”