Chris Hoy voted Britain's best Olympian; Bradley Wiggins down in eighth

Sir Bradley Wiggins has a chance to surpass Sir Chris Hoy's Olympic medal tally in Rio next month, but the Scottish sprinter appears to be head and shoulders above Wiggins in the popularity stakes.

Hoy was voted Britain's best Olympian ever in a poll of 2,000 people by Team GB's outfitters Simon Jersey, with Wiggins the only other cyclist in the top ten, down in eighth.

Sir Steve Redgrave, who won gold medals in five consecutive Games, finished second in the voting, but it was Hoy who sealed the top spot thanks to his six golds and a silver from three Games.

A guide to the road races and time trials at Rio 2016

“He’s the most decorated of all, so we aren’t surprised that he’s been voted the greatest British Olympian of all time above so many other famous names,” a spokesman for Simon Jersey said of Hoy.

“And many will remember Sir Steve Redgrave winning his fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal which has earned him his runner-up spot.

“With the 2016 Olympics in Rio just around the corner, many will be looking forward to the same excitement with both new and familiar Olympic faces on our televisions.”

Decathlete Daley Thompson finished third in the voting, with London 2012 heroes Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill fourth and fifth respectively.

Behind Wiggins, cyclists Victoria Pendleton (12th), Chris Boardman (29th), Laura Trott (38th) and Dame Sarah Storey (50th) all made it into the top 50.