30 Unbelievable Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Bradley Wiggins

Bradley Wiggins, famously known by his nickname of "Wiggo," is the only rider in world history, to have combined winning both World and Olympic championships on both the track and the road. Here are some facts about the former British professional cyclist:

1.  Wiggins is Britain’s greatest cyclist who is five-time Olympian and Tour de France champion.
2.  On December 28, 2016, he announced his retirement after 16, competitive years. He won his final race, the Six Days of Ghent in November in the city of his birth.
3.  Following his retirement from cycling, he made his competitive rowing debut at British Indoor Championship finishing 21st in the men’s open two kilometers with a time of 6min 22.5sec.
4.  He was born Bradley Marc Wiggins on April 28, 1980, in Ghent, Belgium, to an Australian father, Gary Wiggins and a British mother, Linda.
5.  He was two years old when his parents separated and was raised by his mother in Kilburn, north-wets London. His father was into drugs.
6.  He did his schooling at St. Augustine’s junior school and St. Augustine’s Church of England High School. He was equally passionate about football just as cycling.
7.  At the age of 12, he was inspired by watching Chris Boardman on TV, winning the cycling gold medal at 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He left school at 17 without completing his A-levels to devote himself to sport.
8.  Wiggins joined Archer Road Club and won the 1 km time trial at the 1996 Junior National Track Championships at Saffron Lane Sports Centre, Leicester.
9.  Although he made his international debut in 1997 at the Junior Track World Championships as a lone British competitor, he won his first race in the following year in Cuba. He won the three kilometer individual pursuit.
10.  At the 16th Commonwealth Games held at Kuala Lumpur, in 1998, he won his first senior medalsilveras part of Team Pursuit.
11.  Wiggins won his first Olympic medal at the 2000 Sydney Games, when he won a bronze medal in the Team Pursuit, beating France. In the Madison Team race partnering Rob Hayles, he finished fourth just two points behind Italy.
12.  Teaming up with Paul Manning, Christopher Newton, Jonathan Clay, Bryan Steel, in the 4000m Team Pursuit, he finished second best to Germany at the 2000 World Championships held at Manchester, in October.
13.  In 2001, he turned professional when he signed up with Linda McCartney Racing Team and in February that year participating in the 7th Tour of Rhodes, he was placed third in Final general classification.
14.  In 2002, he joined the French team Francaise des Jeux and went on to represent Credit Agricole, Cofidis, Team Columbia, Team Garmin-Slipstream, Sky Procycling, Team Sky and finally his Team Wiggins through his cycling career.
15.  Wiggins became the first Briton to win three Olympic medals at a single Game for 40 years, when he won gold in individual pursuit, silver in team pursuit and bronze in Madison. Mary Rand had achieved it in Tokyo in 1964.
16.  In 2005, New Year Honors, he was appointed Officers of the Order of the British Empire and Commander of the British Empire in 2009. Eventually in 2012, he received his Knighthoods for his service to sport.
17.  He retained his Olympic individual pursuit title setting a new Olympics record in the preliminary round of 2008 Beijing Olympics. He earned his second gold of the games in the team pursuit with world record time of 3:53.314.
18.  From 2009, he shifted his focus to road race and participating in his first Tour de France, finished third on default after Lance Armstrong was disqualified for doping.
19.  Wiggins became the first Englishman to achieve the ultimate prize on French soil after 99 years of Tour de France, when won the 2012 title. In the process he became the first man in history to win Paris-Nice, Romandie, the Dauphine and the Tour in the same season.
20.  When he won a gold medal in the time trial defeating Tony Martin of Germany and Chris Froome of Britain, at the 2012 London Olympics, he became the most decorated British Olympian, with seven medals. He became the first cyclist to win an Olympic medal and Tour de France in the same year.
21.  His exploits in the cycling track earned him the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year and also bagged the Velo d’Or award, decided by a poll of cycling journalists.
22.  At the 2016, Rio Olympics Games, Wiggins won his eighth Olympic medal and his fifth gold medals when the team Great Britain won the Team Pursuit. They set a new World and Olympic record with 3:50.265.
23.  All his records and accomplishment were questioned when a group of hackers called the Fancy Bears leaked his personal medical history in September 2016. The record shows use of WADA banned Therapeutic Use Exemptions six times in his career.
24.  Wiggins is married to Catherine since November 2004, whom he met during 2002 Commonwealth Games and they have two children, Ben and Isabella.
25.  He is keen musicians and guitarist with a collection of classic guitars and classic motor scooters. He along with Paul Weller has recorded a special for BBC Radio 6 Music.
26.  In June 2012, Wiggins launched a foundation with the aim to promote participation in sports and in July that year a clothing range, known as the Bradley Wiggins X Fred Perry Collaboration, was launched.
27.  He has written number of books starting with ‘In Pursuit of Glory,’ ‘In My Time,’ ‘My Story’ and ‘My Hour.’
28.  In the special episode of The Archers-for the Sport Relief appeal, Wiggins played more than a cameo role as himself in the BBC Radio 4’s soap opera in March 2014.
29.  Wiggins had the honors of ringing the Olympic bell in the stadium to commence the opening ceremony at the 2012 London Olympics. The bell ringing is the climax to the countdown to the official start of the games.
30.  On May 16, 2014, a sculpture dedicated to and inspired by Wiggins was unveiled at St. Augustine’s CE High School, with the aim of engaging students to think about their future hopes and dreams.
31.  Bradley Wiggins Net Worth: $5 Million