• London 2012 - Cycling

Awesome Wiggins powers to time trial gold

Bradley Wiggins sets off in the time trial © PA Photos

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Bradley Wiggins capped a golden summer by storming to gold in the London Olympics 2012 time trial.

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Having become the first Briton to win the Tour de France a matter of weeks ago, Wiggins followed up to take gold on the road - and in so doing he became the most decorated British Olympian with seven medals.

Having put in such a monumental effort in winning the Tour and then working so hard to no avail in the road race on Saturday, there was a fear that Wiggins may be fatigued. But he dispelled that with a power-packed display that took him to gold in a time of 50:39.54.

Wiggins proved his superiority in the time trials during the Tour, winning both of the against-the-clock stages, and he timed his run to perfection over the 44km course that started and finished at Hampton Court.

World Champion Tony Martin went out strong and was up at the first check, five seconds ahead of Wiggins, but the Brit stepped on the accelerator and was 11 seconds ahead at the 18km stage.

Martin moved to respond and put distance between himself and the rest of the pack, but Wiggins was relentless and at the third time check he had stretched his lead to 22 seconds.

With Fabien Cancellara struggling on account of his fall in the road race and Luis Leon Sanchez losing all chance on account of mechanical issues, the final battle boiled down to Wiggins against Martin and the imperious Briton held his form to claim GB's second gold of the games.

It has been a brilliant year on the bike for Britain and Chris Froome, who did so much work for Wiggins in the Tour, produced a blinding ride on a course that would not fully suit him by taking bronze in a time of 51:47.87.

In the women's time trial, America's Kristin Armstrong produced a display of total dominance to defend the title she won four years ago. Armstrong led at every timecheck of the 40km course and came home in a time of 37:34,82, with Judith Arndt second and Olga Zabelinskaya following up her bronze in the road race with third.

Emma Pooley was fancied to medal, but the flat course did not suit and she came home in sixth, while road race second Lizzie Armitstead was 10th.

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