Bradley Wiggins announced his retirement from cycling on Wednesday, ending a very successful career as one of Britain’s top cyclists.
Wiggins wrote on his personal Instagram page, accompanied with a photo of his medals, trophies and jerseys, “2016 is the end of the road for this chapter, onwards and upwards, ’feet on the ground, head in the clouds’ kids from Kilburn don’t win Olympic Golds and Tour de Frances! They do now.”
His retirement announcement also read: “I have been lucky enough to live a dream and fulfil my childhood aspiration of making a living and a career out of the sport I fell in love with at the age of 12. I’ve met my idols and ridden with and alongside the best for 20 years.
“I have worked with the world’s best coaches and managers, who I will always be grateful to for their support. What will stick with me forever is the support and love from the public though thick and thin, all as a result of riding a pushbike for a living. 2012 blew my mind and was a gas.
“Cycling has given me everything and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my wonderful wife Cath and our amazing kids.”
To celebrate his career, here are three top moments:
Golden double in Beijing: It was in the 2008 Beijing Olympics where Wiggins really became established as a great Olympian, where he won both the individual pursuit and team pursuit along with Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas and Paul Manning.
Winning the Tour de France: Wiggins defied all odds and became the first Briton to win the famous Tour de France in 2012. After three long weeks of racing, he won two stages along the race and held the lead for 13 days.
Breaking the UCI Hour Record: Wiggins beat Alex Dowsett’s distance by 1.589km, breaking the world record for one of cycling’s oldest and most prestigious event.