• Cycling

Wiggins: I won't ride Tour again

Sir Bradley Wiggins has targeted Olympic success after a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games © PA Photos

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Sir Bradley Wiggins says he won't ride the Tour de France again and admits he is tired of the "cut throat" nature of road cycling.

The news comes just weeks after Wiggins claimed he would continue to ride for Team Sky next season despite his omission from their Tour squad who instead opted for Chris Froome as team leader.

"I don't want to have to miss things on the track because of my commitments on the road," Wiggins told the BBC.

"The road is quite cut-throat. I've had my time there and had success with it. Things move on and it's natural evolution. I've bled it dry."

Wiggins hasn't ruled out competing in some road events, but said: "That will probably be it for the Grand Tours. I can't imagine doing that now."

Wiggins has experienced success in both forms of the sport, becoming the first Brit to win the Tour in 2012 before winning Olympic gold in the time trial at London later that year.

He also claimed Olympic golds on the track, first in the individual pursuit at Athens 2004 and then individual pursuit and team pursuit at Beijing 2008.

Wiggins missed out on his maiden Commonwealth gold in the men's 4000 metre team pursuit as Australia set a new Games record but insists that Olympic gold in 2016 is his primary target.

"The track is where it all began for me," he added. "I'd love it to finish it on a high there."

Team Sky coach Sir Dave Brailsford said Wiggins is "entitled to his opinion" although believes an amicable scenario can be reached that sees him compete in both track and road events.

"It's doable, that's for sure," Brailsford told the BBC. "That's what we are discussing at the moment, to try to see if we can find this ideal scenario for Rio."

Wiggins also claims there are times he wishes he had never won the Tour and Olympic gold in 2012 given his new-found household name status.

"I left for the Tour de France that year relatively unknown in the public's eyes," Wiggins said. "When I came back, for a week or so I felt like the most famous man in the country.

"The last six or seven weeks since I've been back on the track have just been really refreshing and a good distraction from all of that Tour de France nonsense."

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