Story highlights
- Bradley Wiggins claims historic victory for Britain in Tour de France
- Team Sky teammate Chris Froome finishes second
- Government backing for cycling in Britain plays key role
- Team Sky had promised Tour de France winner in five years
Much like buses coming in twos and threes, Britain found itself Sunday in the unprecedented position of having not just one but two cyclists on the 2012 Tour de France podium.
Against the backdrop of the Champs Elysees and resplendent in yellow -- the jersey that denotes the Tour winner -- Bradley Wiggins will deservedly take the plaudits for becoming the first Briton to win the most prestigious cycling race in the world.
But the presence of second-placed Froome is testament to an organizational effort that has ensured Team Sky has steamrollered its way past all the opposition.
Wiggins claimed his second stage win on the Tour as he sealed his overall victory Saturday in an individual time trial.
Froome also won a mountain stage and forged his reputation as a Tour de France winner in his own right in the near future.
While their teammate Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory on the final stage in Paris for his third stage victory and 23rd overall on the Tour as Team Sky's domination was complete.
How times have changed since Scot Robert Millar was racing on the roads of France.
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
In yellow in Paris – Race winner Bradley Wiggins riding on the Champs Elysees on the final stage of the 2012 Tour de France.
Hide Caption
1 of 8
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
Gold in Greece – Wiggins rose to prominence with a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Aged 24, he left Greece with the men's 4km individual pursuit title.
Hide Caption
2 of 8
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
Awesome foursome – Four years later in Beijing, Wiggins went one better by collecting two gold medals. One of his triumphs came in the four-man team pursuit discipline.
Hide Caption
3 of 8
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
The man to catch – His second came courtesy of a successful defense of his 4km individual pursuit title.
Hide Caption
4 of 8
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
Tour breakthrough – In 2009, Wiggins competed in the Tour de France for just the third time. Riding for Team Garmin, Wiggins matched the best ever finish by a British rider as he took fourth place, equaling the effort of Scotland's David Millar in 1984.
Hide Caption
5 of 8
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
Maillot Jaune – Wiggins picked up the first Tour de France stage victory of his career this year, winning 41.5km individual time trial between Arc-et-Senans and Besancon to take control of the race for yellow.
Hide Caption
6 of 8
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
Dynamic duo – Wiggins' success owes much to the tireless performances of his compatriot, teammate and heir apparent Chris Froome. The Kenya-born rider, who completed a British one-two, won his maiden Tour stage between Tomblaine and La Planche des Belles Filles.
Hide Caption
7 of 8
Photos: The rise and rise of Bradley Wiggins
Mentor Brailsford – Whether with Team GB or Team Sky, Wiggins' success has been overseen by David Brailsford. British Cycling's performance director led the team to a 14-medal haul in Beijing which included eight golds.
Hide Caption
8 of 8
CNN Explains: Tour de France 02:53
"There hasn't been a GB winner before because there was no investment in road cycling up until now," Millar, who was crowned King of the Mountains and finished fourth in the 1984 Tour, told CNN.
"If you wanted to be a pro rider before it was largely an individual process. There wasn't any back up and very little encouragement from those running the sport. It's only lately it has changed, due to the arrival of government money and sponsorship deals."
When Millar first turned professional with the French team Peugeot in 1980, it was during an era when aspiring British riders had to brave the European amateur scene to achieve their dream.
Government funding
It is a different story today. Off the back of growing success on the track, including a 14-medal haul at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, British cycling now receives over $40 million of government funding.
"We invest in Olympic sports with money from National Lottery and government along 'no compromise' principles," explained a UK Sport spokesman, "rewarding success and potential success for the next Olympics.
"The sports basically get all funding except commercial deals from us."
For British road cycling, the breakthrough moment came in 2009 when Team Sky was founded, the country's only professional cycling outfit.
Spearheaded by Dave Brailsford, a driving force behind Team GB's eight gold medals in China, Team Sky has produced Britain's first Tour de France winner in only its third attempt at the race.
"When I raced you had to figure out most things for yourself," Millar, who raced between 1980 and 1995, explained. "You received advice from friends and colleagues but the back-up was nothing like Bradley has to call upon.
"Types of training, the whens, hows and whys, diet, dealing with your psychology, they were all subjects you had to untangle yourself. It's taken them a while to understand all those aspects and come up with a plan."
Cycling immortality
Despite his hardships, Millar can take comfort in the fact his struggles paved the way for Wiggins to earn cycling immortality.
"When I started racing I looked at what had been achieved before by GB riders and put that as one of my targets," said Millar. "You can only hope that inspires others to go further than you did.
"I know how much work it took, how much it hurt sometimes and if someone comes along and beats that then I can have nothing but respect for them. There are no easy answers it comes down to hard work, commitment, sacrifices and talent."
Whilst Wiggins, Froome and Cavendish may be making all the headlines for Team Sky at the moment, there is another Briton content to take a backseat role -- for the meantime at least.
Alex Dowsett will be competing in his first Grand Tour in Spain next month, and is keen to match the success of his elder compatriots.
"My ambition is to emulate Wiggins and to emulate what he has achieved -- I feel I'm capable of achieving that too."
"Having those other Brits around me is a big help and inspiration. Wiggins went through the same system that I am in, and he's proven that success is possible. There's no reason that I can't do that when I'm his age."
Wiggins' 2012 challenge was aided by the absence of two cycling superstars. The 2010 champion Andy Schleck missed this year's race with a broken pelvis, while Spain's Alberto Contador is still serving a ban for doping offenses.
Doping problems
Doping has cast a long shadow over cycling throughout the history of the sport, with Andy's brother Frank Schleck failing an in-Tour test earlier this week, but the ever forthright Millar denied it was an excuse for British riders past failings.
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins, left, celebrates on the finish line with teammate Michael Rogers of Australia after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France on Sunday, July 22, in Paris.
Hide Caption
1 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – From left, best sprinter Peter Sagan of Slovakia, overall race winner Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain, best climber Thomas Voeckler of France and best young rider Tejay Van Garderen of the United States celebrate on the podium after finishing the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris on Sunday.
Hide Caption
2 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Mark Cavendish of Great Britain celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the bunch sprint during the 20th and final stage of the Tour de France.
Hide Caption
3 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack of cyclists rides toward the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday.
Hide Caption
4 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – British fans celebrate during the 20th and final stage of the Tour on Sunday in Paris.
Hide Caption
5 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cavendish and Wiggins, in yellow, ride past the Arc de Triomphe as the three-week race comes to an end in Paris on Sunday.
Hide Caption
6 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton rides towards the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Sunday for the ceremonial finish on the Champs-Elysees.
Hide Caption
7 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Wiggins leads the pack on the Place de la Concorde in Paris as the final stage of the Tour de France comes to an end Sunday.
Hide Caption
8 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Overall race leader Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain rides next to a team car with a team member carrying a cup of Champagne during the final stage.
Hide Caption
9 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – From left, best young rider Tejay Van Garderen of the United States, overall race leader Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain, best sprinter Peter Sagan of Slovakia and best climber Thomas Voeckler of France ride together the final stage, which is largely ceremonial.
Hide Caption
10 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Briton Bradley Wiggins, wearing the leader's yellow jersey, celebrates finishing the 19th stage of the 2012 Tour de France on Saturday, July 21.
Hide Caption
11 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Briton David Millar tapes an energy gel to his top tube Saturday before stage 19.
Hide Caption
12 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Blel Kadri of France waits to start on Saturday.
Hide Caption
13 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Nicki Sorensen of Denmark races down the starting ramp.
Hide Caption
14 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – France's Jerome Coppel readies himself before Saturday's stage.
Hide Caption
15 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – British rider Stephen Cummings wears bandages on his legs.
Hide Caption
16 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Denmark's Nicki Sorensen races up a hill during the 19th stage of the 2012 Tour de France on Saturday.
Hide Caption
17 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – France's Thomas Voeckler (in the best climber's polka dot jersey), Slovakia's Peter Sagan (in the best sprinter's green jersey) and stage winner Great Britain's Mark Cavendish ride in the pack in the 222.5 km 18th stage of the 2012 Tour de France on Friday, July 20.
Hide Caption
18 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans watch as the peloton passes through sunflower fields on Friday.
Hide Caption
19 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans cheer on the pack riding past a windmill on Friday.
Hide Caption
20 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Mark Cavendish of Great Britain and SKY Procycling celebrates winning Stage 18 on Friday.
Hide Caption
21 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton is chased by a television helicopter on Friday during stage 18.
Hide Caption
22 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling retained his race leader's yellow jersey after Stage 18 on Friday.
Hide Caption
23 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins of Britain, riding for SKY Procycling in the race leader's yellow jersey, makes the climb of the Cote de Saint-Georges with the peloton on Friday.
Hide Caption
24 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton crosses La Dordogne River during Stage 18 on Friday.
Hide Caption
25 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins, left, of Great Britain, riding for SKY Procycling, cycles with the peloton Friday.
Hide Caption
26 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack of riders glide past a field of sunflowers Friday.
Hide Caption
27 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The leaders cruise past a windmill Friday on the 18th stage of the Tour de France.
Hide Caption
28 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Spectators cheer on Spain's Alejandro Valverde as he rides to victory during the 143.5 kilometer (89 miles) Stage 17, starting in Bagneres-de-Luchon and finishing in the ski resort of Peyragudes, southern France, on Thursday, July 19.
Hide Caption
29 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack of riders descends the mountainous terrain of Thursday's race.
Hide Caption
30 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Thomas Voeckler of France and Fredrik Kessiakoff of Sweden ride in a breakaway group together through the Pyrenees mountains.
Hide Caption
31 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Overall race leader Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain, in yellow, rides in the main group during Thursday's race.
Hide Caption
32 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton wind through the narrow mountains rodes of Thursday's race which included several several long difficult climbs on the way to the finish in Peyragudes.
Hide Caption
33 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Australian rider Cadel Evans of Team BMC, right, follows closely behind teammate Tejay Van Garderen of the United States, left, who is currently wearing the race's "best young rider's" jersey.
Hide Caption
34 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders pass through foggy pass in the high altitude of Thursday's route.
Hide Caption
35 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Stage winner Alejandro Valverde of Spain is overcome with emotion after crossing the finish line at the end of the race Thursday.
Hide Caption
36 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Tour de France riders wait before the start of the 17th stage of the race on Thursday.
Hide Caption
37 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Stage winner Thomas Voeckler of France grabs a bottle of water from a fan as he climbs the final pass before the finish Wednesday, July 18, during the 197-kilometer (122-mile) race through the Pyrenees from Pau to Bagnères-de-Luchon.
Hide Caption
38 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Race leader Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain, in yellow, and the main pack of riders pass a Nelson Mandela birthday banner Wednesday. People around the globe celebrated Mandela's 94th birthday.
Hide Caption
39 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders race through the Pyrenees Mountains on Wednesday on a difficult course that contained two "beyond categorization" sections, climbs that are so hard they are considered off the charts.
Hide Caption
40 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Katusha team rider Vladimir Gusev of Russia receives assistance from a race official after a fall in the Pyrenees on Wednesday.
Hide Caption
41 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders round a treacherous turn on stage 16 Wednesday.
Hide Caption
42 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – George Hincapie, of the United States and Cadel Evans of Australia on Team BMC talk during Wednesday's race.
Hide Caption
43 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins, left, is in first place while Christopher Froome is in second and Vincenzo Nibali is in third place in the race to maintain their standings Wednesday.
Hide Caption
44 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton makes the climb of the Col d'Aubisque in the Pyrenees Mountains during Wednesday's stage.
Hide Caption
45 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Germany's Jens Voigt of team Radioshack-Nissan answers journalists' questions Wednesday after teammate Frank Schleck tested positive for a banned substance overnight and withdrew from the race.
Hide Caption
46 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Pierrick Fedrigo of France sprints to the finish to win the 15th stage of the Tour de France on Monday, July 16, covering 160 kilometers (99 miles) from Samatan to Pau, France.
Hide Caption
47 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Spectators cheer on riders as they pass through a small village along Monday's route.
Hide Caption
48 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The main pack of riders pass through the French countryside during Monday's course.
Hide Caption
49 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans applaud Great Britain's Bradley Wiggins, here in the yellow jersey, as he makes his way up a climb in the main group Monday.
Hide Caption
50 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Monday's stage was a mostly rolling course with no major climbs.
Hide Caption
51 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – French rider Pierrick Fedrigo celebrates after winning Monday's stage in Pau.
Hide Caption
52 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Luis-Leon Sanchez of Spain celebrates after winning the 14th stage of the Tour de France, which ran 191 kilometers (119 miles) from Limoux to Foix, France, on Sunday, July 15.
Hide Caption
53 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders make their way around a bend during Sunday's stage, which is the first in the Pyrenees mountains.
Hide Caption
54 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – France's Thomas Voeckler, center, helps teammate Pierre Rolland of France, left, change a wheel during the race Sunday. Around 30 punctured tires were reported near the top of the last major climb, apparently caused by tacks thrown on the course by spectators.
Hide Caption
55 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain, wearing the yellow jersey, maintains his position as the overall race leader, 2 minutes 5 seconds ahead of Team Sky teammate Christopher Froome, on Sunday.
Hide Caption
56 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Spectators greet a breakaway group of 11 riders as they picnic along the course Sunday.
Hide Caption
57 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Philippe Gilbert of Belgium and Team BMC leads a breakaway group as rain starts to fall Sunday.
Hide Caption
58 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The main group of riders passes by a field during Sunday's stage, which consisted of two major climbs.
Hide Caption
59 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A spectator dressed as Santa Claus rings a bell from a field along the race route as riders pass by.
Hide Caption
60 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Spain's Luis-Leon Sanchez, center, eventually created a gap between himself and the rest of the breakaway group and was able to maintain his lead through the finish Sunday.
Hide Caption
61 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cheerleaders from the Perpignan rugby club cheer on riders Sunday.
Hide Caption
62 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Slovakia's Peter Sagan, wearing the green jersey of the sprint points leader, reaches for second place at the finish of the race Sunday and maintains his lead as sprints points leader, 97 points ahead of Andre Greipel of Germany.
Hide Caption
63 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans cheer on cyclists participating in the 2012 Tour de France on Saturday, July 14.
Hide Caption
64 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Britain's Bradley Wiggins rides in the pack in the 13 stage of the race, which started in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux and finishes in Le Cap d'Agde, France, on Saturday.
Hide Caption
65 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A fan cheers on the pack riding in the 226-km (140-mile) stage 12 of the 2012 Tour de France, starting in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and finishing in Annonay Davezieux, southeastern France, on Friday, July 13.
Hide Caption
66 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Australia's Cadel Evans checks technical problems with his radio-link earphones as he rides on Friday.
Hide Caption
67 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans wait for riders in Western garb during stage 12 Friday.
Hide Caption
68 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The leading men ride in a tunnel in a breakaway on Friday.
Hide Caption
69 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Team Europcar rider Pierre Rolland of France is cheered on Thursday, July 12, as he rides to victory in stage 11.
Hide Caption
70 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Vincenzo Nibali of Italy, left, and Bradley Wiggins of Britain celebrate at the conclusion of Thursday's race.
Hide Caption
71 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Overall race leader Bradley Wiggins of Britain rides ahead of Cadel Evans of Australia, who started Thursday's stage in second place.
Hide Caption
72 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders make their way through the French Alps on Thursday during the 11th stage of the Tour de France, which covers 91 miles starting in Albertville and finishes in La Toussuire-Les Sybelles, France.
Hide Caption
73 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Representations of Tour de France leaders' jerseys hang along the road during Thursday's race.
Hide Caption
74 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain, left, rounds a turn Thursday, followed by teammate Christopher Froome.
Hide Caption
75 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Australian fans cheer riders as they pass by during Thursday's race, the first full stage in the Alps.
Hide Caption
76 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – France's Thomas Voeckler celebrates after winning stage 10, a 194.5-kilometer (120-mile) course starting in Macon and finishing in Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, France, on Wednesday, July 11.
Hide Caption
77 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The cyclists cross a bridge in Macon at the beginning of Wednesday's events.
Hide Caption
78 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Large cutouts of cyclists in colorful jerseys are featured on the facade of a building in Macon on Wednesday.
Hide Caption
79 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Frederik Kessiakoff of Sweden, wearing the polka dot jersey signifying his position as the best climber in the race, races among the peloton Wednesday.
Hide Caption
80 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bernhard Eisel of Austria and Team Sky drive the peloton as they work to defend Bradley Wiggins' hold on the overall race lead Wednesday.
Hide Caption
81 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Overall race leader Bradley Wiggins, right, receives a water bottle handoff from Team Sky teammate Mark Cavendish on Wednesday.
Hide Caption
82 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Race leader Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain rides through the French countryside in the main pack of riders Wednesday.
Hide Caption
83 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Thomas Voeckler of France, right, leads a breakaway group of four riders through the mountains.
Hide Caption
84 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Jens Voigt of Germany attacks on the final climb of Wednesday's race. He finished third, unable to best Thomas Voeckler of France and Michele Scarponi of Italy.
Hide Caption
85 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders make their way up the Col du Grand Columbier, the most challenging climb of the race, rated as "beyond categorization." Most climbs are rated from 1 to 4, with four being the easiest.
Hide Caption
86 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Voeckler crosses the finish line first at the mountaintop finish at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine on Wednesday.
Hide Caption
87 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Team Sky rider Bradley Wiggins of Britain, in the leader's yellow jersey, crosses the finish line during the individual time trial in the ninth stage of the 99th Tour de France cycling race between Arc et Senans and Besancon on Monday, July 9.
Hide Caption
88 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Radioshack-Nissan rider Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland crosses the finish line during the individual time trials.
Hide Caption
89 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – German Tony Martin rides for the Omega Pharma Quick Step team.
Hide Caption
90 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Stage winner Bradley Wiggins drinks before entering the anti-doping control bus at the end of the 41.5-kilometer Stage 9 individual time trial.
Hide Caption
91 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Sylvain Chavanel of France, riding for Omega-Pharma-Quickstep, races to fifth place in the individual time trials.
Hide Caption
92 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Vincenzo Nibali of Italy and Liquigas-Canondale rides in Stage 9.
Hide Caption
93 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Australian rider Cadel Evans of the BMC Racing team rides the Stage 9 time trial.
Hide Caption
94 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – World time trial champion Tony Martin of Germany rides the Stage 9 time trials on Monday, July 9.
Hide Caption
95 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Thibaut Pinot of France celebrates on the finish line after winning Stage 8 of the Tour de France on Sunday, July 8. The stage covered 157.5 kilometers (98 miles) from Belfort, France, to Porrentruy, Switzerland, with seven major climbs.
Hide Caption
96 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The main group, known as the peloton, departs from Belfort at the start of the race Sunday.
Hide Caption
97 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain went into Sunday's stage wearing the yellow jersey as the race's overall leader.
Hide Caption
98 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack rides past a field of cows in the French countryside Sunday.
Hide Caption
99 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Germany's Jens Voigt, the oldest cyclist in the Tour at 40, attempts to break away from the peloton during the race Sunday.
Hide Caption
100 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Frederik Kessiakoff of Sweden, who led for much of the race, rounds a turn Sunday.
Hide Caption
101 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans cheer on Kessiakoff during the last major climb of the stage Sunday.
Hide Caption
102 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Overall leader Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain rides in the peloton with his Team Sky teammates Sunday.
Hide Caption
103 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton makes its way through the narrow roads of the French countryside on the way to the stage finish in Porrentruy, Switzerland, on Sunday.
Hide Caption
104 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Great Britain's Christopher Froome celebrates as he crosses the Stage 7 finish line on Saturday to take the win.
Hide Caption
105 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bernhard Eisel of Austria leads the main group of riders, or peloton, through the French countryside during Stage 7 on Saturday.
Hide Caption
106 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack rides by during the seventh stage of the 2012 Tour de France.
Hide Caption
107 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Anthony Delaplace of France, who has an injured wrist, retired from the race Saturday.
Hide Caption
108 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Delaplace is the 17th rider to drop out this year.
Hide Caption
109 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans cheer on riders from bales of straw on Saturday.
Hide Caption
110 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – From left, France's Christophe Riblon, Switzerland's Michael Albasini, Denmark's Chris Anker Sorensen, Spain's Luis-Leon Sanchez and France's Cyril Gautier lead the race on Saturday.
Hide Caption
111 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Norway's Edvald Boasson Hagen takes a drink during the ride Saturday.
Hide Caption
112 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, riding for the RadioShack-Nissan team, retained his race lead (signified by the yellow jersey) after Stage 6 on Friday, July 6, in Metz.
Hide Caption
113 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders make their way back to the peloton during Stage 6 on Friday.
Hide Caption
114 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Stage 6 winner Peter Sagan of Slovakia pushes to the finish line ahead of Germany's Andre Greipel on Friday. The 207.5-kilometer stage began in Epernay and finished in Metz, in northeastern France.
Hide Caption
115 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A fan wearing a yellow jersey cheers on the pack riding in Metz on Friday.
Hide Caption
116 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton was split by a crash in Gorze, with 25 kilometers remaining in Stage 6 on Friday.
Hide Caption
117 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A bloodied Ryder Hesjedal of Canada, riding for Garmin-Sharp, is accompanied by teammate Tyler Farrar of the United States as they ride to the finish of Stage 6 in Metz. Hesjedal was involved in a crash 25 kilometers from the end of the stage and was separated from the yellow jersey group.
Hide Caption
118 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Sweden's Gustav Larsson, center, and Italy's Daniel Oss were among the 30 riders involved in the crash Friday.
Hide Caption
119 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Italy's Davide Vigano is lifted on a stretcher after the crash on Friday, July 6.
Hide Caption
120 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Belgium's Johan Van Summeren reacts after the crash on Friday, July 6.
Hide Caption
121 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Race leader Fabian Cancellara chats to Ivan Basso of Italy at Stage 5, from Rouen to Saint-Quentin, on Thursday, July 5.
Hide Caption
122 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Andre Greipel, second from left, of the Lotto-Belisol team charges ahead to the finish line on Thursday to win Stage 5 of the Tour de France.
Hide Caption
123 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans wave French flags and cheer on riders Thursday as the main group passes on the way from Rouen, where Stage 5 of the race started, to Saint-Quentin.
Hide Caption
124 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Jonathan Cantwell of Australia lies on the ground after crashing near the finish of Stage 5 Thursday.
Hide Caption
125 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Tyler Farrar of USA riding for Garmin-Sharp sits on the ground dazed after crashing hard near the end of Thursday's stage.
Hide Caption
126 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Farrar bleeds from multiple wounds as he rolls through to the finish line after crashing in the final sprint Thursday.
Hide Caption
127 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders pass a field of poppies as they race through the French countryside Thursday.
Hide Caption
128 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fabian Cancellara of team RadioShack-Nissan holds on to the team car as he makes an adjustment during the race Thursday.
Hide Caption
129 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans cheer and a television helicopter flies above as the riders stream by.
Hide Caption
130 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – From left: Julien Simon of Saur-Sojasun, Pablo Urtasun Perez of Euskaltel-Euskadi and Matthieu Ladagnous of FDJ-BigMat ride in a breakaway from the main group Thursday.
Hide Caption
131 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans line the road and wait for riders to pass along the 196.5-kilometer (122-mile) Stage 5 course Thursday.
Hide Caption
132 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Riders roll past a hot-air balloon sitting in a field along Thursday's course.
Hide Caption
133 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Christian Vande Velde of the Garmin-Sharp team signs an autograph for a fan before the beginning of Thursday's stage.
Hide Caption
134 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Jonathan Vaughters, director of Team Garmin-Sharp, addresses the media before the start of Stage 5 on Thursday.
Hide Caption
135 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Andre Greipel of Germany and the Lotto-Belisol team celebrates winning Stage 4, from Abbeville to Rouen, on Wednesday, July 4.
Hide Caption
136 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack of riders cycles past spectators during Stage 4.
Hide Caption
137 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton fans out during Stage 4.
Hide Caption
138 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton passes through wheat fields.
Hide Caption
139 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack of riders cycle through the city of Abbeville.
Hide Caption
140 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Liquigas-Cannondale rider Peter Sagan of Slovakia signs autographs for spectators.
Hide Caption
141 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack of cyclists streams along a country road during Stage 4.
Hide Caption
142 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – An injured Mark Cavendish of Great Britain sits on the pavement just after crashing near the end of the 214-kilometer Stage 4.
Hide Caption
143 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cavendish rolls to the finish with visible injuries and damage to his jersey and helmet after crashing near the finish.
Hide Caption
144 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The pack rides by the cliffs of Dieppe.
Hide Caption
145 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton passes by windmills on Wednesday.
Hide Caption
146 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – France's David Moncoutie, Japan's Yukiya Arashiro, and France's Anthony Delaplace ride in a breakaway.
Hide Caption
147 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Peter Sagan of Slovakia celebrates while crossing the finish line Tuesday to win Stage 3.
Hide Caption
148 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Overall race leader Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, in yellow jersey, rides in the main group during Tuesday's 197-kilometer (122-mile) stage.
Hide Caption
149 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans wave the French flag as the peleton, led by team RadioShack-Nissan, rides past.
Hide Caption
150 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – France's Thomas Voeckler grimaces during one of the course's many climbs on Tuesday.
Hide Caption
151 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton, the main group of riders, descends a hill during Stage 3.
Hide Caption
152 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – France's Sebastien Minard, left, and Denmark's Michael Morkov, in the polka-dot jersey, lead a breakaway in Stage 3.
Hide Caption
153 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Mark Cavendish, left, rides with teammates from Britain's Team Sky, wearing yellow helmets signifying their lead in the team standings.
Hide Caption
154 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Tour de France 2011 winner Cadel Evans of Australia rides in Stage 3 on Tuesday.
Hide Caption
155 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Team Sky sprinter Mark Cavendish of Great Britain arrives for the start of Stage 3 on Tuesday.
Hide Caption
156 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland riding for Team RadioShack-Nissan arrives Tuesday for the start of Stage 3, which is 197 kilometers (122 miles) from Orchies to Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Hide Caption
157 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans cheer on riders as they climb the Cote de la Citadelle de Namur (Climb of Namur Citadel) during Stage 2, which takes place in Belgium.
Hide Caption
158 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland holds the yellow jersey and overall race lead going into Stage 2 on Monday.
Hide Caption
159 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A spectator sits along the course Monday in Belgium, where Stage 2 of the race covers 129 miles from Vise to Tournai and is relatively flat.
Hide Caption
160 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Three riders broke away from the main group early in Stage 2, including (left to right): Anthony Roux of France, Michael Morkov of Denmark and Christophe Kern of France.
Hide Caption
161 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The main group of riders quickly fell several minutes behind the breakaway group as they traveled along Belgian roads Monday.
Hide Caption
162 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton races through the Belgian countryside Monday.
Hide Caption
163 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Peter Sagan of Slovakia celebrates on the finish line as he wins Stage 1, just ahead of Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, on Sunday in Seraing, Belgium.
Hide Caption
164 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cancellara, wearing the yellow jersey, rides alongside Cadel Evans of Australia, second from left, and Frank Schleck of Luxembourg, left, on Sunday.
Hide Caption
165 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton follows the official Tour de France vehicle at the beginning of Sunday's Stage 1.
Hide Caption
166 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A spectator waves the Belgian flag as fans wait for riders to pass along the Stage 1 route on Sunday.
Hide Caption
167 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A group of six riders, including Nicolas Edet of France, left, breaks away from the main group very early in Stage 1on Sunday. The riders were able to maintain a gap of several minutes until they were eventually caught about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the finish line.
Hide Caption
168 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton travels along a narrow road through the Belgian countryside on Sunday.
Hide Caption
169 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans wait on the roadside for the almost 200 riders to pass during Stage 1 on Sunday.
Hide Caption
170 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fans peer over a railing as riders crest a small hill on Sunday.
Hide Caption
171 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Anthony Delaplace of France leads the six riders in the breakaway group on Sunday.
Hide Caption
172 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – The peloton begins the final climb of Sunday's stage, called the Cote de Seraing, as riders near the finish of the 198-kilometer (123-mile) course.
Hide Caption
173 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Peter Sagan of Slovakia, right, sprints to victory at the Stage 1 finish line Sunday ahead of Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, left, and Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway, center.
Hide Caption
174 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Overall race leader Cancellara embraces former Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx after Sunday's stage.
Hide Caption
175 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland lunges out of the starting gate for the individual time trial and first test in the 2012 Tour de France in Liege, Belgium, on Saturday, June 30.
Hide Caption
176 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cycling fans sit on a bronze statue in the town of Liege, Belgium, to get a glimpse of the individual time trial on Saturday.
Hide Caption
177 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Nicki Sorensen of Denmark eyes the finish line as he nears the completion of the 6.4-kilometer (4-mile) course on Saturday.
Hide Caption
178 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Sylvain Chavanel of France rounds a sharp turn on the course in Liege on Saturday.
Hide Caption
179 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Bradley Wiggins of Britain sprints to the finish line on Saturday.
Hide Caption
180 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – A performer wearing a hat decorated with toy cyclists poses for spectators on Saturday.
Hide Caption
181 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Andriy Grivko of Ukraine grimaces as he nears the finish line during the time trial, cheered on by fans.
Hide Caption
182 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cadel Evans of Austraila, last year's Tour winner, rounds a turn during the time trial. He finished witih the 13th best time.
Hide Caption
183 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cancellara, who won the prologue with an individual time trial time of 7 minutes, 13 seconds, sprints to the finish on Saturday.
Hide Caption
184 of 185
Photos: Tour de France 2012: The best photos
Tour de France 2012: The best photos – Cancellara celebrates on the podium Saturday and pulls on the yellow jersey, worn by the overall race leader.
Hide Caption
185 of 185
"I don't consider the doping aspect to be a factor, it's a cop-out for those happy with being the big fish in a small pond or even a small fish in that pond.
"It is easy to hide behind the excuse that everyone is doping so it's not worth doing but the reality is there hasn't been enough investment or the people with the talent and commitment to make the top level on the road."
Dowsett was keen to stress that Team Sky wear their cleanliness as a badge of honor.
"If there's one thing in our team it's a clean philosophy. It's an even stronger testament to Wiggins' ability that he's done all this clean.
"The Tour de France has some of the most tested athletes on the planet and our team's ethics are unrivaled. Wiggins and Froome have put all these riders to shame both on and off the bike."
So what has Wiggins got which previous British challengers have lacked? And what has gone into transforming him from track speedster to road racing extraordinaire?
Millar believes Wiggins' switch to the American Garmin Slipstream team was key point on his path to greatness.
"Only when he went to Garmin did he take steps forward with his road career," Millar said of the 32-year-old.
Key switch
"Probably due to a mix of the French teams he was at previously not asking the right questions of him talent wise and Bradley's own contentment with being just a pursuiter who could win short time trials and prologues."
Tactically, Team Sky were impeccable throughout the three-week marathon. Ably assisted by Froome and sprint star Mark Cavendish, Wiggins was consistently in the right place at exactly the right time.
"It's been more about how Sky as a team have been above everyone else," added Millar. "That limits possibilities to challenge when they are riding so fast.
"They've put their general classification riders in the best positions by controlling the race and then Wiggins and Froome have performed better than the other challengers in the time trials."
The support role adopted by Froome and Cavendish is a vital one, and not one to be undermined, as Dowsett testifies to, "With cycling you have days when you go for the results and you have days when you know it doesn't suit your ability, so you help the team as much as you can.
"Cycling, essentially, is all about pushing the air out of the way. If you have a chain of guys in front of you you barely have to pedal at all. It can keep you fresh -- and keep you out of crashes, too."
After finishing a then British-best fourth in the 1984 Tour, what does Millar think he could have achieved under the tutelage of the meticulous Brailsford and with a ruthless team like Sky at his back?
Different times
"Who knows," he replied. "These are different times with different riders, sometimes I raced too much and usually there were never enough rest periods. It was difficult to prepare well because the thinking used to be one race after another.
"It's like trying to compare eras and champions. The best riders of each era are at the top because of the talent, commitment, intelligence and suffering they cope with."
Regardless of his teammates' performances and the peerless tactical guidance he has received, Wiggins' win in a race many professionals struggle to finish should not be belittled.
"It takes commitment to be a professional cyclist and the Tour de France will push you to your absolute limits," insisted Millar.
"If you do well it's a fantastic feeling and it makes the tiredness and mental fatigue justifiable. It's only later you fully realize what's happened when you've had a bit of time to reflect, if you've achieved something that'll go down in history then you can be happy with yourself.
"Then you start planning for the next step, improving, making sure you are staying at that level everyone else is aiming for."
