Sir Bradely Wiggins Archives

2014 World Champions as seen by me

Posted on January 8, 2015 by mattbristow

2014 World Champions as seen by me. With 2015 under way pretty much everyone looks back over the year that has just passed.

I wanted to take a slightly different look back. Not that long ago I had a conversation about world champions with somebody, which got me thinking. Just how many World Champions pass infront of my lens in 12 months? Because I don’t particularly specialise in any sport photography it took me a little time to actually work this out. So here goes in the order that I took pictures of them and not in the order of winning.

1. Petter Solberg – Secured the inaugral FIA World Rallycross Championship title. The first person to win two FIA world titles in different diciplines. Pictured here at round 2 which was held at Lydden Hill Race Circuit in Kent.

2014 World Champions – Petter Solberg, FIA World Rallycross Champion

2. Jessica Fox – Who won the K1 and C1 Canoeing titles in 2014. Pictured here at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup held at the olympic Lee Valley White Water Centre, London.

2014 World Champions – Jessica Fox who won the K1 and C1 world titles

3. Sir Bradely Wiggins – Who took the UCI Road World Championship Men’s Time Trial title held in Spain in September by a huge margin of 26 seconds. Pictured here at the start of the time trial on stage 8a of the Tour of Britain held in London.

2014 World Champions – Sir Bradely Wiggins. UCI Road World Championships – Men’s time trial

4. Novak Djokovic – OK not strictly called a world champion, but he was crowned as world number 1 which is good enough for me. Pictured here at the ATP World Tour Finals held at the O2 in London.

Novak Djokovic who was crowned the world number 1 at the ATP Tour finals in London

So my total tally for the year was 4, not bad but this year I plan on making it more. Happy new year everyone.

Tour of Britain 2014 – Stage 8 London

Posted on September 15, 2014 by mattbristow

Tour of Britain 2014 – Stage 8 London. Everything you would ever want in a cycling event Time Trial, Racing and the final champion decided on the line!

The final stage of Tour of Britain 2014 – Stage 8 London. Split into two parts the first an 8km time trial. Riders would set off at regular 1 minute intervals, if they missed it they couldn’t start. The top 10, the last to set off have a 2 minute stagger. All eyes were of course on the British and Olympic Time Trial champion Sir Bradely Wiggins. Was there any doubt that as he romped home a full 8 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

Team Sky’s Sir Bradely Wiggins at the start of the Time Trial. On his way to a emphatic victory.

I’d just like to say that Sir ‘Wiggo’ is quite possibly the coolest person in existence, my belief has been furthered enhanced when I saw his support car. Yes it is a Jaguar F-Type R! and the plate is pretty spot on as well.

Team Skys support car is actually a Jaguar F-Type R, more than cool

Time Trial is a weird thing compared to racing. There’s no tactics other than going out fully focused and pushing your physical limits to the extreme.

BMC racings Dylan Teuns from Belgium totally focused at the start of his time trial.

The final part was a 10 lap race over the same course as the time trial so not really a lot of change. There wasn’t a climb and only just about the chance for the final Yodel Sprint category. The surprise Garmin Sharp’s Dylan Van Baarle started with the yellow jersey on his back.

Garmin Sharp’s Dylan Van Baarle on the startline in yellow looking very composed on his way to securing the overall Tour of Britain title.

Team GB young rider Chris Latham worked hard all race in the break away and was for his efforts awarded the Rouleur Combativity Award for the final stage.

Friends Life Tour of Britain Stage 8 London

Team GB’s Chris Latham

You couldn’t have written the ending a photo finish that saw Giant-Shimano’s Marcel Kittel narrowly beat Omega Pharma Quickstep’s Mark Cavendish in a photofinish.

A photo finish which saw Marcel Kittel narrowly beat Mark Cavendish

Full results can be found on the Tour of Britains website and all my full set of pictures ready for licence on the SportPix website. Here is a selection of a few of my favorites.

: Podium fun as Wiggo decides to start the champagne shower early

: Team Raleighs Morgan Kneisky FRA. Friends Life Tour of Britain 2014. Round 8.

: Garmin-Shimano rider Marcel Kittel GER

: Movistars’ Alex Dowsett GBR. Focused at the start of the time trial. Friends Life Tour of Britain 2014. Round 8.

: Team Sky rider Sir Bradley Wiggins during the start of stage 8b. Friends Life Tour of Britain

: YodelDirect Sprint overall leader BMC Racing rider Sebastian Lander.

: Giant Shimano rider Marcel Kittel. Friends Life Tour of Britain 2014. Round 8.

The Tour of Britain 2013 – Stage 8 London

Posted on September 25, 2013 by mattbristow

The Tour of Britain 2013 Transport for London Stage 8. The final stage. Could Sir Bradely Wiggins do it? was there any doubt?

As a Sports Photographer I was supposed to be cover the whole of The Tour of Britain 2013 from start to finish. But due to circumstances mostly beyond my control all I was able to make was the closing stage in London.

It was a day that was packed full of supporting races to keep the growing crowds entertained. First up was the Ladies Johnson Health Tech Westminster Grand Prix. Which was run around the barriered part of the course which ran through the streets of Westminster and Whitehall.

Next up was the IG Gentlemans Time Trial which consisted of a ‘Pace rider’ and a ‘Gentleman’ both were made of of past and present celebrities.

: News reporter Dermot Murnaghen takes part in the IG Gentlemans Time Trial

: Retired pro footballer Lee Dixon takes part in the IG Gentlemans Time Trial

: Ex Pro Cyclist Matt Stephens

Then the real event was due to start. Now I have seen road racing but nothing, and I mean nothing prepares you for the experience of top riders doing laps in an enclosed circuit. 8.8km in total which they were covering on average in 10 minutes. As the pelaton passed it was like standing at the side of a motorway!

Sir Bradely Wiggins and Mark Cavendish were without a doubt what the large crowds that were gathered had come to see.

Tour of Britain Stage 8, London. Mark Cavendish signs autographs before the start

Sir Bradely Wiggins being interviewed before the start of the final stage.

When interviewed on the start line and asked what his plan for the stage was. He had a 26 second lead. He calmly said “of course we are going to try and loose it!”

Doing what I do there are always curve balls that are thrown at you. Which in turn leads to the necessity of keeping sharp and thinking on your feet. I wont bore you with the details but I had to completely change my game plan mid race. Sometimes taking a step back and looking at the crowd gives you an image that you might otherwise miss.

The next couple of images I wouldn’t have normally taken, but I’m very glad I did as I think they are probably my favorite ones form the day. The first one shows Sir Bradely Wiggins being pulled along by his Sky Procycle team mates just as they leave Whitehall.

This one is the moment Mark Cavendish crossed the finish line in his historic stage win. But, its not all about him its about the crowd and what they are doing. Check out the guy top left!