Wiggins was inspired by Chris Boardman's gold medal win at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. This motivation led him to pursue cycling seriously. He made his international debut in 1998 at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, competing for England.

Training and Achievements

Wiggins trains three to four times a week at the gym, gaining about 11kg of muscle since 2014. His most memorable achievements include winning the 2012 Tour de France and securing a gold medal in the individual time trial at the London Olympics just ten days later.

Coaching and Team

He is coached by Heiko Salzwedel from Germany and represents Team Sky on the road for Great Britain. Wiggins has also started his own professional cycling team, Team Wiggins, in January 2015. The team aims to encourage and develop British cycling talent.

Awards and Honours

Wiggins has received numerous awards. He was knighted in 2013 for his services to cycling. In 2012, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Velo d'Or Rider of the Year by 'Velo' magazine. He also holds titles such as OBE (2005) and CBE (2009).

Injuries and Challenges

Throughout his career, Wiggins faced several injuries. He missed the 2015 British Track Championships due to a cold and withdrew from the 2014 Tour de Suisse after injuring his knee. A knee injury also forced him out of the 2013 Giro d'Italia and that year's Tour de France.

Family Influence

Wiggins credits his family as the most influential people in his career. His father, Gary, represented Australia in track cycling. Despite their separation when Wiggins was three, his mother raised him in Maida Vale, London.

Historic Wins

In 2012, Wiggins became the first British rider to win the Tour de France. He held the yellow jersey from stage seven until the end of the race. On track, he won three medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics—gold in individual pursuit, silver in team pursuit, and bronze in madison.

Record-Breaking Feats

Wiggins set a new world hour record in June 2015 at Lee Valley Velopark in London with a distance of 54.526 kilometres. This surpassed Alex Dowsett's previous record by 1.589 kilometres. He detailed this experience in his book 'My Hour' published in November 2015.

Personal Life

Wiggins enjoys spending time with his wife Cath and their children Ben and Isabella. His hobbies include collecting records, scooters, and guitars. His heroes are Spanish road cyclist Miguel Indurain and British road cyclist Sean Yates.

Future Plans

Looking ahead from July 2024, Wiggins continues to inspire young cyclists through Team Wiggins while maintaining his legacy as one of Britain's most decorated Olympians.