Wiggins claims second Games gold as GB smash team pursuit world record

Wiggins, who also won the individual pursuit, Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas and
Ed Clancy finished the 4000m event in three minutes, 53.314 seconds.

Golden boys: Manning, Clancy, Thomas and Wiggins celebrate Great Britain's 12th gold medal fo the Beijing Games

Hot pursuit: Ed Clancy, Paul Manning, Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins on their way to winning gold

Londoner Wiggins, 28, joined Great Britain's double gold club, alongside fellow cyclist Chris Hoy and swimmer Rebecca Adlington.

Wiggins has a chance for a third gold of these Games and the fourth of his career when he combines with Tour de France hero Mark Cavendish for the Madison on Tuesday.

Wiggins paid tribute to his team-mates for their part in the win.

'It's phenomenal,' he said immediately after the race. 'Yesterday I was pretty down after the first couple of rounds, I was mainly disappointed because I didn't want to let these guys down. I was on the back foot a bit because it was a tough day the day before.

'But these guys sacrificed a lot. It's just fantastic to be part of this team, we've come a long way in four years. And to put a time like that on the board is phenomenal really.

'I'm just delighted, I really am.'

Thumbs up: Wiggins salutes his second gold at Beijing

As for his own medal haul so far, Wiggins said: 'I set out to do that. I believed I could do it. But to put it into practice is another thing. It's such a relief when you do it and cross the line.'

Thomas was delighted with the win and predicted the new world record mark could
be a long standing one.

He said: 'We were just rattling round, it was so smooth. It felt easy, to be honest. As we got closer and knew we'd won, morale went up and we were just chasing them.

'We knew it was fast but 53.3, I can't believe it. It's great. It will go down in history, I don't think it will be broken for a very long time. It's awesome riding with these guys.'

Clancy admitted he was relieved that he and his team-mates had been able to live up to expectations.

'There were a few nerves as always but we were the best team out there. It was far from a formality but we should have won this and I'm just glad we put it away.

I don't think anyone saw that time coming. It was special.'

For Manning an Olympic title was the icing on the cake.

'It's the pinnacle. We've won worlds now seven times and to win the Olympics is something we've been working on since Sydney, so for the best part of a decade.

'It's so satisfying and the time's a real bonus. What a performance from these guys, they are fantastic guys.'