Time flies! It's three years to the day since Bradley Wiggins won the Tour

Sir Bradley Wiggins took to Instagram on Wednesday morning to remind us all that on July 22, 2012, he became the first Brit to win the Tour de France.

Bradley Wiggins on stage twenty of the 2012 Tour de France. Photo: Graham Watson

(Image credit: Watson)

Wiggins, whose contract at Team Sky ended in April, uploaded a picture of him in his yellow jersey, riding on the Champs-Elysees in Paris - the stage where he famously led out Mark Cavendish for the win.

Screen Shot 2015-07-22 at 12.06.42

Team Sky entered the professional peloton in 2010 with ambition to win the Tour with a clean British rider in five years. After a shaky couple of seasons they managed their goal three years early, repeating the feat the following year with Chris Froome.

In 2012, Wiggins took the yellow jersey from Fabian Cancellara on stage seven and never let it go, beating teammate Froome by 3:21 and 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali by over six minutes.

He won both individual time trials and was second in the prologue in Liege, won by Cancellara. Three other top-10 finishes sealed his win saw him enter the record books as the first ever Brit to win the Tour.

Tour de France - Stage 20

Bradley Wiggins leads out Mark Cavendish on the Champs-Elysees
(Image credit: Watson)

Bradley Wiggins on the podium after winning the 2012 Tour de France (Watson)

Bradley Wiggins on the podium after winning the 2012 Tour de France (Watson)
(Image credit: Watson)

Tour de France - Stage 20

Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the 2012 Tour de France
(Image credit: Watson)

In all 2012 was a great year for Wiggins - a dominant performance in the Tour de France resulted in him being asked to ring the bell in the London Olympic Games opening ceremony.

A couple of days later he added his fourth career Olympic gold medal by winning the time trial around Hampton Court Palace, with one of the iconic shots of the Games coming when he sat on the winner's throne.

>>> The tech behind Bradley Wiggins’s Hour Record success

Olympic Games - Mens TT

Bradley Wiggins wins the 2012 Olympic Games time trial (Watson)
(Image credit: Watson)

Olympic Games - Mens TT

Bradley Wiggins, Tony Martin and Chris Froome on the podium after the London 2012 time trial
(Image credit: Watson)

A knighthood was to follow for Wiggins, but he was never to return to the ride the Tour. In 2015 he left Team Sky for his own eponymous Team Wiggins with the ambition to ride on the track at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Watch Bradley Wiggins overtake his minute man at the Hull RC 10-mile time trial

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.