The summer of 2012 will live long in the memory of British cycling fans.
The efforts of a host of riders propelled the sport to the front page of national newspapers, but one man’s efforts outshone all others. The rider? Bradley Wiggins, of course.
We asked for your favorite ‘Wiggins moment’ of the summer in return for a chance to win ‘Allez Wiggo!’, a new book from Daniel Friebe, and received some excellent responses in the RCUK Forum.
Wiggins’ lead out for Mark Cavendish on the Champs-Élysées was nominated by several people.
The sight of two British riders, one in the rainbow stripes of world road race champion, the other in the yellow jersey of Tour de France leader, riding to stage and overall victory, clearly holds a special place in the collective memory of RCUK readers.
Others identified the Londoner’s defiant punch as he crossed the line in Chartres to win the Tour’s stage 20 time trial, sealing his bid for the biggest prize in cycling in emphatic style.
Many focussed on Wiggins the man, rather than the rider. His statesmanlike slowing of the peloton after the bizarre spreading of tacks on the road during stage 14, and his refusal to celebrate victory in the Olympic time trial until defending champion, Fabian Cancellara, had finished his effort, were offered as evidence of a champion in the broadest sense.
Our winner, Edmund Ward, identified Wiggins’ grace under pressure in winning the Olympic time trial, despite carrying the burden of expectation of an entire nation; a supreme achievement in a discipline dependent upon the regulation of effort, as Edmund noted.
Thanks to everyone who took part.
