Sir Bradley Wiggins Wins Tour Of Britain (PICTURES) | HuffPost

Back To His Best?

The Huffington Post UK/PA

Sir Bradley Wiggins immediately turned his attentions to Wednesday's Road World Championships time-trial after winning the Tour of Britain.

The Olympic champion expressed relief at claiming the gold jersey following a miserable year which could yet end on another high, if he can win in Florence.

"From (this) morning my thoughts turn to the World Championships and this will probably be forgotten," said Wiggins, who won the 2012 Tour de France and Olympic time-trial gold 10 days later.

Wiggins celebrates his Tour of Britain win

"It's a bit like the Tour with the Olympics. Win the Tour one day, the next day you're thinking about the Olympics."

Wiggins became the second British winner in the 10th edition of the Tour of Britain - after Jonathan Tiernan-Locke 12 months ago - and the first Team Sky rider to triumph in its home tour at the fourth attempt.

IAM Cycling's Martin Elmiger finished 26 seconds behind in second, with Simon Yates of the Great Britain under-23 team third overall.

Wiggins wins Tour of Britain

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(01 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Gold Jersey following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Six - Sidmouth to Haytor(02 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins reaches the summit of the climb at Haytor, during stage six of the 2013 Tour of Britain from Sidmouth to Haytor. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(03 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Gold Jersey following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(04 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Gold Jersey with his children, Ben and Isabella, following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(05 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates with his children Ben and Isabella after winning the Gold Jersey following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(06 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Gold Jersey following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(07 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Gold Jersey following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(08 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Gold Jersey following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Eight - London(09 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins celebrates winning the Gold Jersey with his children, Ben and Isabella, following stage eight of the 2013 Tour of Britain in London. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Seven - Epsom to Guildford(10 of19)

Overall race leader Sky Procycling's Sir Bradley Wiggins waves from the podium following stage seven of the 2013 Tour of Britain from Epsom to Guildford. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Six - Sidmouth to Haytor(11 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins on the podium in the Gold Jersey following the climb at Haytor during stage six of the 2013 Tour of Britain from Sidmouth to Haytor. (credit:PA)

Cycling - 2013 Tour of Britain - Stage Six - Sidmouth to Haytor(12 of19)

Team Sky's Sir Bradley Wiggins on the podium in the Gold Jersey following the climb at Haytor, during stage six of the 2013 Tour of Britain from Sidmouth to Haytor. (credit:PA)

CYCLING-GBR-TOUR(13 of19)

British cyclist Bradley Wiggins signs his autograph to fans before the start of the final stage of Tour of Britain in London on September 22, 2013. Bradley Wiggins won his home Tour of Britain as compatriot Mark Cavendish of Omega Pharma QuickStep cycling team took his third stage victory of this year's race. AFP PHOTO / WILL OLIVER (Photo credit should read WILL OLIVER/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Tour Of Britain - Stage Eight(14 of19)

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and Team Sky Procycling (C) stands on the podium with Martin Elmiger of Switzerland and Team IAM Cycling (L) and Simon Yates of Great Britain (R) following stage eight of the Tour of Britain, a criterium race around central London, on September 22, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Harry Engels/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Tour Of Britain - Stage Eight(15 of19)

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and Team Sky Procycling, celebrates winning the Tour of Britain in central London on September 22, 2013 in London, England. Today's 89km route along the banks of the river Thames and concluding on Whitehall is the final stage of the race. Sir Bradley Wiggins, riding for Team Sky Procycling, won the race with a 26 second advantage. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Tour Of Britain - Stage Eight(16 of19)

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Sir Bradley Wiggins, riding for Team Sky Procycling, celebrates wining the Tour of Britain in central London on September 22, 2013 in London, England. Today's 89km route along the banks of the river Thames and concluding on Whitehall is the final stage of the race. Sir Bradley Wiggins, riding for Team Sky Procycling, won the race with a 26 second advantage. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Tour Of Britain - Stage Eight(17 of19)

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Sir Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and Team Sky Procycling, celebrates winning the Tour of Britain in central London on September 22, 2013 in London, England. Today's 89km route along the banks of the river Thames and concluding on Whitehall is the final stage of the race. Sir Bradley Wiggins, riding for Team Sky Procycling, won the race with a 26 second advantage. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Tour Of Britain - Stage Eight(18 of19)

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 22: Sir Bradley Wiggins (2nd R), riding for Team Sky Procycling, celebrates winning the Tour of Britain with his children Ben and Isabella, in central London on September 22, 2013 in London, England. Today's 89km route along the banks of the river Thames and concluding on Whitehall is the final stage of the race. Sir Bradley Wiggins, riding for Team Sky Procycling, won the race with a 26 second advantage. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

CYCLING-GBR-TOUR(19 of19)

British Bradley Wiggins of Team Sky celebrates on the podium after winning the Tour of Britain in London on September 22, 2013. Wiggins won his home Tour of Britain as compatriot Mark Cavendish took his third stage victory of this year's race. AFP PHOTO / WILL OLIVER (Photo credit should read WILL OLIVER/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)

Wiggins, who took the race lead with victory in the stage three time-trial at Knowsley Safari Park, was nervous until the end.

The 33-year-old Londoner said: "It's all right to think it's a bit of a ceremony round London, but it certainly isn't. Until you cross the line you just don't know."

Wiggins praised the crowd support throughout the eight-day event, describing it as "overwhelming at times", as he bounced back from a troubled year which saw him withdraw from the Giro d'Italia and miss the defence of his Tour de France title.

He said: "It's nice to be able to come to perform to your potential and please everybody. Everyone goes home happy."

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