Wiggins makes history with another Olympic gold
Sir Bradley Wiggins became the most decorated British Olympian in history after winning gold in the men’s team pursuit in Rio on Friday.
Wiggins and team-mates Ed Clancy, Owain Doull and Steven Burke broke the world record for the second race in a row to beat Australia in a thrilling final.
It means Maida Vale-raised Wiggins has now won eight Olympic medals – five golds, one silver and two bronze – beating fellow cyclist Sir Chris Hoy’s tally of seven.
Having dominated the first round – setting a world record in their win over New Zealand – the Team GB quartet were favourites going into the final.
However, world champions Australia looked to attack from the off and they led by 0.7 seconds at the halfway mark.
Wiggins’ haul of fame
Sydney 2000: Bronze – team pursuit.
Athens 2004: Gold – individual pursuit; Silver – team pursuit; Bronze – Madison.
Beijing 2008: Gold – individual pursuit; Gold – team pursuit.
London 2012: Gold – time trial.
Rio 2016: Gold – team pursuit.
Sydney 2000: Bronze – team pursuit.
Athens 2004: Gold – individual pursuit; Silver – team pursuit; Bronze – Madison.
Beijing 2008: Gold – individual pursuit; Gold – team pursuit.
London 2012: Gold – time trial.
Rio 2016: Gold – team pursuit.
But Britain reeled them in in the closing stages, with the Aussies becoming more and more ragged, as they snatched gold.
Now 36, Wiggins first won an Olympic medal as a 20-year-old in Sydney in 2000, when he took a bronze alongside Paul Manning, Chris Newton and Bryan Steel.
His first gold came four years later in the individual pursuit, also winning a silver and a bronze in Athens.
At London 2012, he won gold on the road in the time trial – in the same year that he won the Tour de France – and he has now joined the likes of Hoy, Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Ben Ainslie in the ranks of Britain’s all-time Olympic greats.
