Bradley Wiggins turns up at a club ‘10’ in Lancashire – and wins it

Bradley Wiggins turns up at a club ‘10’ in Lancashire – and wins it

Olympic and former world TT champ’s presence delights club riders

Club cyclists in northwest England had a surprise companion on a local 10-mile time trial last night – UCI Hour Record holder and Olympic and former world time trial champion, Sir Bradley Wiggins.

The 36-year-old is currently training for Rio, where in the team pursuit in two months’ time he hopes to secure the fifth Olympic gold medal of his career.

But last night he swapped the boards of the velodrome at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester for roads near Skelmersdale for a Tuesday Interclubs 10 organised by Liverpool Phoenix Cycling Club on the Cycling Time Trials D10/1 course.

https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/course-details/d10-1

Wiggins, as you’d expect, won it, coming home in a time of 19 minutes 15 seconds at an average speed of 31.17mph according to the official results.

It’s the first time this year the host club’s own Phil Williams has been beaten in a Tuesday 10 – he won the previous seven – but perhaps spurred on by the thought of a famous scalp, he did put in a season’s best time of 19 minutes 54 seconds.

It was a local ride for Wiggins, who lives a few miles away in Eccleston, and his presence delighted other riders taking part – we’re guessing that’s Sue Stout, the next rider after him to start, beaming in the background of this picture.

Last year when he was preparing for his successful attempt at the UCI Hour record Wiggins, resplendent in the rainbow bands of reigning world champion, rocked up at the Hull City Road Club 10, winning in a time of 17 minutes 58 seconds and trousering £50 in prize money for his efforts.

> Wiggins wins Hull City RC 10