This is a sponsored article produced in association with Hyundai
Having recently collected his eighth Olympic medal, and fifth Gold, Sir Bradley Wiggins is Britain's most successful Olympian. Here, he speaks about those Olympic wins, his role in the Tour of Britain and his ambitions going forward.
BikeRadar: Can you put into words how it feels to have won your fifth Olympic Games Gold medal?
Sir Bradley Wiggins: It's difficult really. There's an overwhelming sense of relief with the amount of pressure we were under and everything that was at stake. But really I'm just incredibly proud of the guys, I always had great belief in what we were doing and in my teammates. Steven Burke and Ed Clancy are two of the greatest pursuit riders of all time and Owain has great speed but is totally unfazed by these huge occasions. We knew it would take a World Record to win it, so to put the work in, all that graft and execute like that makes me incredibly proud of everyone involved and so grateful for all the support from our families.
BikeRadar: Where does your Rio triumph stand in terms of your career achievements?
Wiggins: I don't like to rank my achievements really. Whether it be the Hour Record, the Tour de France, World Championships on the road or track and each Gold medal - or even the Olympic silver and bronzes; they all mean an awful lot and represent an important milestone in my career, and life even. I think being a part of the growth in cycling alongside the likes of Chris Hoy, Dave B, Victoria Pendleton and Laura Trott, and the impact we've made on the sport is almost the greater achievement. The sport is unrecognisable now to what it was when I was a kid and I'm really proud to have been a part of it and looking forward to kicking on with it now.
BikeRadar: Now that the Olympic Games are out of the way what is your race schedule like for the remainder of the season?
Wiggins: I've got a great autumn lined up. Back on the road with the Wiggins boys for the Tour of Britain will be special. I'm looking forward to getting out there with the fans and back in the camper with the guys who have carried the team so well this season whilst we've been on the track. Then I'll be racing at London 6 Day with Cav as World Champions which will be great, there's a big line up so hopefully we'll put on a good show. Then I'll finish the season at the Ghent 6 Day which means a lot as I was born there and the Ghent 6 was one of the first professional races so its like coming full circle in this Olympic year.
It's about inspiring fans and inspiring the next generation
BikeRadar: What will your role be in the Tour of Britain?
Wiggins: I'll be there to support the likes of Scott Davies and Alex Knox and just enjoy being out there with the lads and the fans. We had a great outing last year where everything really came together with Owain placing third overall and taking the points jersey. It's always hard work the Tour of Britain, but the fans come out in huge numbers and it's a great stage for our young riders to go toe to toe with the big boys.
BikeRadar: And beyond the 2016, having won everything in the sport, what are your ambitions moving forward?
Wiggins: I'll always ride my bike. That'll never change, I may not be racing at the same level, there'll be no more Olympic Games or World Championships, but I'll always be on my bike. I'm looking forward to getting stuck into all these things I've had to put on the back burners as I've been preparing for Rio. I'll be spending more time day to day with the Wiggins team where we're looking to create this amazing platform for young riders to kick on. All the success has been based around the young lads so far and we're going to continue driving that whilst still doing looking to do things our way with our partners. Then from a grass roots level I've got my kids bikes with Halfords, which are going great. It's about inspiring fans and inspiring the next generation, I want to go and find the next Bradley Wiggins, this sport has given me everything and I'd love to create that opportunity for other kids wherever they come from.
