Sir Bradley kisses cycling goodbye as he rides off into the sunset

Sir Bradley Wiggins has retired from competitive cycling after one of the most remarkable careers in British sporting history. Wiggins bows out as the winner of eight Olympic medals – a national record that includes five golds – and was the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012

Sir Bradley Wiggins has announced his retirement from cycling, ending a career that saw him win a British record eight Olympic medals as well as the country’s first Tour de France.

The 36-year-old posted a statement on his Instagram page yesterday, with a picture of his race jerseys, medals and trophies.

In it, he said: “2016 is the end of the road for this chapter, onwards and upwards, ‘feet on the ground, head in the clouds’ kids from Kilburn don’t win Olympic Golds and Tour de Frances! They do now.”

Wiggins, who conquered his sport on the road and in the velodrome, won his fifth Olympic gold in Rio this year as part of the team pursuit, adding to a tally that includes a silver and two bronzes.

He competed in five successive Games from Sydney 2000 and reached a career high in 2012 when he completed a double of a maiden Tour de France victory with Team Sky and a home Olympic triumph in the time-trial in London.

His retirement message also read: “I have been lucky enough to live a dream and fulfil my childhood aspiration of making a living and a career out of the sport I fell in love with.”