Responding to Houvenaghel’s comments about sexism in cycling, former Team GB track cyclist Victoria Pendleton agreed women do receive different treatment.
The Olympic gold medallist and former world champion told BBC Radio 5 live: “The world of sport, like it or not, it still is very much a male-dominated arena to work in and it is tough at times.”
Pendleton, who retired after the 2012 Olympics at the age of 31, added: “I definitely felt in my career that sometimes I wasn’t necessarily as well catered for as a female, and I had to act more like a man.
“I can probably understand that she could have done with a little bit of a different support maybe.”