Bradley Wiggins wins Team GB’s second gold medal
Bradley Wiggins wins Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s second gold of the Olympics – cementing his position as the UK’s greatest ever road cyclist.
Wiggins’ Team Sky partner Chris Froome took bronze.
Wiggins won with a time of 50 minutes and 43 seconds, 42 seconds ahead of his closest rival.
His main competitor was Germany’s Tony Martin, the current time-trial world champion. However, at around 30km into the 44km race, Wiggins had developed a 22-second lead over Martin, who took silver with a time of 51 minutes and 21 seconds.
Riders in the time trial set off 90 seconds apart in the sprint around the track, which started at Hampton Court and headed into Surrey.
Chris Froome, who set off before Wiggins and Martin, completed the course in 51 minutes and 47 seconds – putting him in first position. The Kenyan-born 27-year-old is considered to be more of a climber, but held on to the bronze medal position.
Britain’s best ever
Wiggins started his career as a track cyclist and won two gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games in the 4km individual pursuit and the team pursuit. At Athens for years earlier he won gold, silver and bronze on the track.
YESSSSSS!! Absolutely delighted for @bradwiggins and @chrisfroome. History made today.
— Chris Hoy (@chrishoy) August 1, 2012
His transition into road racing came tio life in 2011 when he won silver in the individual time trial at the World Championships and won the 1,052 km Crierion du Dauphine. But 2012 has been Wiggins’ glory year – defending his title at Dauphine as well as winning the 1,155 km Paris-Nice, the 695 km Tour de Romandie and topped off with the top road cycling accolade, the Tour de France.
Going into the race he was the favourite, though questions had been raised over whether his endurance training for the 3,494km Tour de France would be at odds with racing the 44km time trial circuit.
Wiggins, who was born in Ghent, Belgium, where his father, a famous Austrlian track cyclist, had trial with West Hom football club before moving into cycling. He now lives in Lancashire with his wife Cath and two children.
