On This Day in 2009 – Bradley Wiggins reaches for the sky after signing key deal
It was a landmark moment for Team Sky as they secured Wiggins’ services.
Bradley Wiggins was unveiled as a Team Sky rider on this day in 2009.
Wiggins agreed a four-year deal to join the BSkyB-backed, Britain-focused cycling road team after negotiating his release from Team Garmin-Transitions.
Wiggins had won three Olympic gold medals and finished fourth in the Tour de France – equalling Britain’s best-ever finish – and ended long-running speculation by moving to work under British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford at Team Sky.
Wiggins said: “The same mindset we take into this project is the same as with the track – to be the best we can possibly be, whatever the goal is.
“Obviously, it was always going to be a difficult situation to leave Garmin. I was surrounded by friends, had close relationships with the riders and some of the staff.
“But there was was only ever going to be one team I would leave that team for, and that was of course to come home to Team Sky and pretty much everyone who has helped me to my Olympic success.”
Wiggins became Team Sky’s 25th rider and the seventh Briton after Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard, Russell Downing, Peter Kennaugh, Chris Froome and Steve Cummings.
Wiggins also took on the role of Sky’s team leader in their opening season, and Brailsford added: “As Team Sky have become a reality, it became very, very clear to us that one of the key players to join the team and start off this historic moment in the history of cycling was obviously Bradley.”
In a statement, meanwhile, Garmin said: “Bradley Wiggins will not be racing for Team Garmin-Transitions in 2010.
“Although we understand his strong desire to be a part of the UK’s first-ever Pro Tour team, we would have loved to continue with him through 2010.
“His departure is not the outcome we hoped for.”
