Bradley Wiggins

British cyclist who became the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012, combining exceptional time trial ability with five Olympic gold medals.

Born in Ghent, Belgium in 1980, Bradley Marc Wiggins grew up in a cycling family with an Australian father who competed professionally and a British mother. Moving to Britain at a young age, he developed his passion for cycling on the track before transitioning to road racing, representing Great Britain in both disciplines throughout his career. Wiggins established himself as one of cycling's most versatile athletes, excelling across track and road disciplines. His track cycling prowess emerged early, winning Olympic gold in the individual pursuit and team pursuit at Athens 2004. He continued this success at Beijing 2008 with two more golds in track events, before adapting his focus toward road cycling. His physical transformation from a lean track specialist to a grand tour contender demonstrated remarkable athletic adaptability. The year 2012 marked Wiggins' career pinnacle. He became the first British rider to win the Tour de France, establishing overall victory through dominant time trial performances and strong climbing. His triumph was followed just days later by Olympic time trial gold at the London Olympics, where his distinctive sideburns and mod-inspired kit made him an iconic figure. He added further Olympic track gold in the team pursuit at Rio 2016, bringing his Olympic medal tally to eight, including five golds. His achievements earned him a knighthood in the 2013 New Year Honours. Wiggins' legacy extends beyond his palmares to his role in British cycling's golden era. His Tour de France victory preceded a period of British dominance in professional cycling, inspiring a generation of riders. However, his career was later shadowed by controversy surrounding therapeutic use exemptions for the corticosteroid triamcinolone before major races. Despite these issues, his transformation of British cycling's international profile and his success across multiple disciplines cement his position as one of Britain's greatest cyclists and most significant Olympic athletes.

Wiggins was renowned as an exceptional time trialist with a powerful, aerodynamic riding position that made him formidable against the clock. His meticulous attention to detail, scientific approach to training, and ability to peak for major events were hallmarks of his success. He combined track cycling's explosive power with the endurance needed for Grand Tour success.

Wiggins revolutionized British cycling's approach to Grand Tours and inspired a generation of British riders to compete at the highest level of professional cycling.

• Tour de France 2012
• Olympic Gold 5x (track and road)
• Knighted 2013