It has been a remarkable few days for British cycling, with the sport taking the front and back pages of newspapers over the weekend. Bradley Wiggins was confirmed as the first British Tour de France winner in history yesterday, before it was announced today that Sir Chris Hoy will be the flagbearer for Team GB at the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Wiggins Takes Unique Victory
As 153 cyclists rode through the streets of Paris yesterday to complete the mammoth 2,200 miles of the Tour de France race, there was one man who had dominated throughout. For the first time in its 99 year history, there was a Brit wearing the famous yellow jersey that marks the leading rider as they crossed the finishing line. Bradley Wiggins was a full 3 minutes ahead of his nearest rival in the overall time.
The victory has led to experts calling him the greatest British sportsman of his generation and possibly of all time. The Tour de France is a unique sporting event held for three weeks throughout France, Belgium and Switzerland. The cyclists spend a total of over 85 hours on their bikes, with many of the stages being held in mountainous areas with daunting uphill climbs.
