Burglars steal Olympic medal from Bradley Wiggins' home... but not a gold, silver or bronze one

A souvenir medal given to Bradley Wiggins for his participation in the Beijing Olympics was among the items stolen at the Team Sky rider’s Lancashire home in a burglary at the weekend.

The news was broken on Twitter by Wiggins’ wife Cath, who tweeted: “Phone went on way back from rugby, Lancs Police informing me we’d been burgled.

“Brads participants medal from Beijing Olympics most... distinctive thing taken so if anyone hears of it please inform police, who were brilliant this morning.

She added: “Raging! That is all.”

In response to questions raised by followers on Twitter, she the explained: “To clarify, NOT Brads Olympic medals thank god, a participants souvenir one. Still unpleasant enough though.”

Those Olympic medals – six of them, including golds won in the individual pursuits at Athens and Beijing, where Wiggins was also a member of the victorious team pursuit squad – put the cyclist firmly into the list of Britain’s top ten Olympians by medals won.

The Chorley Guardian confirmed that Lancashire Police were investigating the Burglary, with a spokesman saying:  “We were called following a break-in on May 13 at 12.03pm. We think there is damage to the property. We are looking into it.”

So far this season, Wiggins has won Paris-Nice and the Tour of Romandie and is considered among the favourites for the Tour de France, not only due to his form but also as a result of a parcours this year that plays to his strengths including more than 100km of time trialling and less emphasis on tough summit finishes in the mountains than has been seen in the past couple of years.

The week after the Tour finishes, he is a near certainty to be part of the Great Britain team that will aid Team Sky colleague Mark Cavendish in his attempt to win Olympic gold in the road race, with Wiggins then having an opportunity to add to his own collection in the individual time trial.