Sir Bradley Wiggins Announces Retirement: Latest Comments and Reaction

Sir Bradley Wiggins has officially announced his retirement from cycling, via a statement released on his Facebook page. The 36-year-old leaves the sport after collecting five gold medals at the Olympics and winning the Tour de France in 2012. 

Wiggins used his Facebook statement to reflect on his accomplishments and what cycling has afforded him:

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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 at the age of 12. I've met my idols and ridden with and alongside the best for 20 years. I have worked with the world’s best coaches and managers who I will always be grateful to for their support.

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The decorated now-former rider also took time to acknowledge his close rapport with the British public:

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What will stick with me forever is the support and love from the public though thick and thin, all as a result of riding a pushbike for a living. 2012 blew my mind and was a gas. Cycling has given me everything and I couldn't have done it without the support of my wonderful wife Cath and our amazing kids.

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Finally, Wiggins looked back with a sense of awe on his some of more notable accomplishments on the bike: "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."

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

There's no doubt Wiggins has walked away from a career littered with outstanding achievements. He's Britain's most awarded Olympian thanks to those five gold medals, per Paul Vinnell of Sky Sports. In all, he collected a record eight medals at different Olympic games.

For many, though, the standout moment from Wiggins' career will always be his Tour victory in 2012. It marked a first for Great Britain.

He was 32 at the time, but the most impressive aspect of Wiggins' win was how it completed his successful transition from racing on track to competing on roads. He'd made the switch after the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where he dominated on the track, claiming two gold medals, according to Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star.

However, 2016 has been something of a rocky year for Wiggins. Back in September, he was forced to deny he'd broken rules regarding injections and given misleading information about them, per Ben Rumsby of the Daily Telegraph.

It came after Wiggins and Chris Froome had their medical records leaked by hackers.

Despite the cloud of controversy, Wiggins leaves cycling with a good reputation and a track record of success at the highest levels of the sport.