Laura Kenny Q&A: ‘I got a bike with a basket on the front as a retirement present!’

The five-time Olympic gold medal winner – and Guardian columnist for Paris 2024 – answers your questions on how to get back into cycling, her favourite other sports, and when she realised she was the fastest in the world

I often see riders in Welwyn colours when I’m out pedalling in Hertfordshire. How important were the Wheelers to your career? Dan

Ah, they were so great. Joining a cycling club as a young cyclist was one of the best ways for me to develop my abilities and grow my confidence on the bike. I’m a big believer that if you surround yourself with the right people you can all push each other to do great things, and that starts right at the very beginning, whether it’s riding with a club or riding with friends it’s so important to make sure you surround yourself with people that want to succeed as much as you do.