Historic Tour De France Victory For Wiggins

Glory cyclist Bradley Wiggins who becomes the first Briton to win the gruelling world bike race.

Bradley Wiggins has become Britain's first Tour de France winner, ending the country's 109-year wait victory in sport's toughest endurance event.

The cyclist finished the 3,479km race a three minute and 21 second lead over runner-up, Team Sky team- and fellow Briton Chris Froome, after the 20th and last stage.

Wiggins, wearing the leader's yellow jersey, safely completed the 120km journey from Rambouillet Paris which is traditionally a processional ride ending a mass sprint the Champs-Elysees.

was more British success in the last stage after it won by another Team Sky rider Mark Cavendish.

Wiggins had led the stage one kilometre to go before Cavendish powered to victory the final few seconds.

Wiggins, a triple Olympic gold medallist, had virtually sealed victory Saturday in the 99th Tour de France when he won his second time-trial the epic three-week event.

The final stage was 13th consecutive day that Wiggins worn the yellow jersey.

After securing the title, he said: "It's a different feeling yesterday. Yesterday was the confirmation and today always a procession.

" the end there we had a job to do and we were a mission from the minute we hit the Champs-Elysees finish the job off with Cav (Mark Cavendish) and what a to finish."

Asked about becoming the first Briton win the event, he said: "I got to start getting to that which is strange. It's going to take a . It's mission complete."

Wiggins waved fans as he stepped up on the podium.

After apologising speaking in English, he told the crowds: "I just wanted to say you for all the support all the way ."

"It's been a magical couple of weeks the team and for British cycling. Some dreams can true, and now my old mother over , her son's won the Tour de France."

Before setting for Paris, he said he had to realise the full meaning of his first triumph.

"I would have imagined it, this is a dream," Wiggins said. "It's a weird feeling".

The Prime Minister said Wiggins' victory was an "immense feat physical and mental ability".

"I'm everyone in the country - absolutely delighted," David Cameron told Sky News.

"Bradley Wiggins has scaled of the great heights of British sporting achievement, to be the person in 109 years to win the Tour de France is an immense feat of physical and mental ability and aptitude and I think the country wants to say well done, brilliant - the perfect backdrop and start the Olympics."

The PM said the win would have a impact on British morale ahead the Olympics.

"I think it will put the country the right mood. There is going to be an incredible festival of sport that we are going to see the next few weeks."

The man until now was Britain's best-known cyclist, four- Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, had described the prospect of Wiggins winning the Tour as "as good as anything British athlete has ever done".


Adapted from: Sky News, July 22, 2012.