Sir Bradley Wiggins confirmed Tuesday that he will part with Team Sky after the Paris-Roubaix Classic in April. He signed a final contract extension that will see him through his sixth season with the team. After that, he will begin preparing for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“Paris-Roubaix is a special race for me and I’m determined to give it another go in Team Sky colors,” Wiggins said in an . “It’s one of the toughest races in the calendar and my aim is to improve on my ninth-place finish last year.”
That was the best performance at the race by a Tour de France winner since 1992, . During his tenure with Team Sky, which began in 2010, Wiggins has been the team’s most successful rider. In 2012, he became the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France.
However, Team Sky overlooked Wiggins for its Tour de France roster in 2014. Following that decision, Wiggins indicated that he would not ride the Tour again, and that he intended to shift his focus to track racing from road racing. “Team Sky [has] become so competitive now and it’s all about winning Grand Tours,” he in July. “The road is quite cut-throat and, as we’ve seen this year, there [are] no loyalties in cycling.”
After his contract expires at the end of April, Wiggins will likely start riding with a new UCI Continental-level team of his own creation. “Team Wiggo,” as it’s currently known, will consist of British riders participating in road races while preparing for the 2016 Olympics. Wiggins has also announced his intentions to attempt the hour record in the summer of 2015.