Bradley Wiggins: 'Winning in 2012 wasn't a happy thing – it was more of a box-ticking exercise'

For Sir Bradley Wiggins, reminders of the day that made superstars of Britain’s cyclists – the arrival of the Tour de France to London in 2007 – are around every corner. “It came to mind recently when I walked to the Serpentine with my kids,” Wiggins tells Telegraph Sport. “We were feeding the ducks – and the memories came flooding back. It is amazing to think that was 15 years ago.”

Wiggins, then competing in his second Tour, finished fourth in the prologue that day. Much has happened in the years since and Wiggins has had a first-row seat to it all – including the relentless Team Sky winning machine where, he admits, success became so joyless it felt like little more than a “box-ticking exercise”.

After becoming the first Briton to take home the yellow jersey in 2012, Wiggins became a household name, then went on to win a further three Olympic gold medals – including the time trial at the London Olympics – set the hour record and clinch the world Madison title alongside Mark Cavendish before hanging up his wheels in his birth town at the Six Days of Ghent.

There has been controversy and heartbreak, too. Named in the Fancy Bears hack in September 2016, and later caught up in the infamous Jiffy-bag scandal, of which he was later cleared of any wrongdoing, Wiggins later admitted to have struggled with depression. In April the 42-year-old revealed he had been sexually groomed by a coach while still a teenager.

Now, though, he is at peace. Speaking ahead of this year’s race, where he is working as part of Eurosport’s in-race commentary team, Wiggins insists he is “happier than I’ve ever been”.

That glorious sunny afternoon in July 2007 may have been the day when Britons flocked to see the future Tour winner and Cavendish up close – along with a young Geraint Thomas – but, by happy coincidence, it was an event five years later to the day that set Wiggins on a path to cementing his place in the annals of cycling history.

It was on La Planche des Belles Filles where Team Sky crushed their rivals, paving the way for Wiggins to take his first yellow jersey, a garment he wore all the way to Paris.

For Wiggins, though, success was impossible to enjoy. “When I was winning those races in 2012, I don’t ever remember it being a happy thing doing it,” he says.

“It was more of a box-ticking exercise. Which is a shame really, we never enjoyed the success. By contrast, I think that was probably why we had so much success. It was always about winning and winning became the norm. It was very businesslike, which contradicts everything that I love about the sport, and the passion I have for it.

“The last time I was happy when I stepped off a bike and really enjoyed it was probably the 2009 Tour in Paris with Garmin, with people like David Millar, [Christian] Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and all those guys. After that it felt as if everything became very businesslike.

“Looking at the 2012 Tour from a distance, though, it was a remarkable team performance – even with all the infighting [with Froome]. British world champion Mark Cavendish – the first since Tommy Simpson – being led out by a British rider in the yellow jersey, and Chris Froome finishing second overall. Then obviously, what happened at the London Olympics straight afterwards.

“It was while out riding in Surrey ahead of the Olympic road race when we stopped at a cafe – remember we had been in the Tour de France bubble for over three weeks. There was me, Cavendish, Froome, David Millar – who had also won a stage at that year’s Tour – and that was when I realised life would never be the same for me again.

“In the subsequent years Chris Froome obviously won four Tours, then Geraint Thomas won in 2018, it is remarkable what happened over the past 10 years. Now of course we have the likes of Simon Yates, Adam Yates and now the younger generation are coming through.”

Stood at the roadside in 2007 was Ethan Hayter, the Ineos Grenadiers rider who narrowly missed out on selection for this year’s Tour, while the Londoner’s team-mate Tom Pidcock, who is making his debut at the race, has previously told Telegraph Sport how the on-road exploits of Wiggins helped inspire him. Not that Wiggins is allowing that go to his head.

“If you have success, then you can’t fail to inspire someone who is stood at the roadside,” he says. “It is part and parcel of being a sportsperson. I don’t think we were the only ones to inspire, you know? I was inspired by Sean Yates and Chris Boardman who won the prologue in Lille in 1994, and then watching them when the Tour de France came over to the UK.

“Sean took yellow a few days later. Chris winning the [individual pursuit] at the Barcelona Olympics, David Millar winning the Tour de France prologue in 2000.

“You know, my son [Ben] is 17 now and is on the British Junior Academy. He looks up to Tom Pidcock, Mathieu van der Poel and people like that – we all have our heroes whatever generation you’re from.

“He’s a chip off the old block. That said, he got second [in a recent time trial], but I used to win,” Wiggins laughs. “He’s done amazingly and done it off his own back and his own hard work and fortitude. It’s great to see really because we know teenagers can drift and could be doing a lot worse things with themselves.”

Having flirted with the celebrity lifestyle in the immediate aftermath of London 2012, and subsequent appearances on the reality show The Jump, Wiggins finally appears to have found his calling: back in the peloton, sitting on the back of a motorbike providing in-race analysis during the recent Giro d’Italia and ongoing Tour.

“I’ve come to terms with lots of things over the past six months,” he says. “I’m 42 now, it took me a long time to find some stability in my life, learning what’s important in life. Cycling was just a job – but also a passion of mine that I am able to embrace now. There were times when I thought I had to rid myself of cycling, but I’m happy now. I love doing ‘Brad on a Bike’ for Eurosport.”

But does Wiggins, now working on the other side of the fence, have a newfound respect for the journalists who he, on occasion, had prickly relationships with?

“There are always people that are just there to s— stir. Just like some cyclists can be awkward – and I was one of them, I don’t mind saying,” Wiggins laughs.

“If something controversial happens on the road and I have to go and ask questions... I do find that difficult sometimes, but I understand. I wouldn’t say I have a newfound respect for the media, but seeing the other side of the fence is certainly interesting.”

With La Planche des Belles Filles looming ahead of Friday’s stage, Wiggins reflects on 2012 and all that. “We’re 10 years on now, and I think the next 10 will go even quicker and before you know it you’re not relevant anymore. Not that I am now.”

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