PARIS — Twenty-three years ago, Bradley Wiggins marveled as Greg LeMond blazed a trail as America’s first Tour de France winner. Now, he has blazed his own.
The 32-year-old from gritty northwest London became Britain’s first winner of cycling’s greatest race on Sunday, ending a 75-year drought for his country with an imperial conquest of the roads in cross-Channel neighbor France.
Wiggins had locked up the yellow jersey a day earlier by winning the final time-trial, and Sunday’s ride onto the Champs-Elysees was largely ceremonial for him.
But putting the coveted shirt to work one last time, he added a touch of class by providing a leadout to Sky teammate and fellow Briton Mark Cavendish to get his third Tour stage victory — the 23rd of his career — in a sprint. The Isle of Man native is a main contender to win road race gold at the Olympics in London, which has been a hovering presence over the peloton in this Tour.
Wiggins congratulated his teammates after crossing the line, hugged his wife, and clutched the hands of their two children. A soprano sang “God Save The Queen”, and Wiggins thanked the crowd with a touch of British humor.
“Cheers, have a safe journey home, don’t get too drunk,” he quipped after hoisting the winner’s bouquet, with the Arc de Triomphe behind him.
Then, with a Union Jack around his neck like a scarf, Wiggins sipped Champagne for the processional lap on the famed Paris avenue, trailed by his son with “Allez Wiggo” — Go Wiggo — written on his cheeks.
This 99th Tour will be remembered for successes of other Britons too, like all-rounder Christopher Froome, who was second overall, Cavendish and Scottish veteran David Millar — who won seven stages between them, a Tour record for Britain.
Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali rounded out the podium in third. France’s Thomas Voeckler won the polka-dot jersey for best climber, Peter Sagan of Slovakia takes home the green jersey for best sprinter and Tejay van Garderen, a 23-year-old American, won the white jersey given to the best young rider.
