Rio 2016: Bradley Wiggins downplays his achievements as he praises talented team mates after Rio gold

The Briton also expressed his relief in turning his back on road racing

Britain's greatest ever Olympian (Getty)

Sir Bradley Wiggins paid tribute to his team-mate’s, his opponents, the GB backroom staff, his wife, kids, the cat, in fact everybody but himself after bowing out of front line track cycling with a world record, a fifth gold medal and a record eight in total.

Oh, and don’t compare him with the heroes he eclipsed in the individual medal table, Sir Chris Hoy (7) and Sir Steve Redgrave (6). "It was never about that for me. The first people I bumped into were Chris Hoy and Steve Redgrave, so just to be in the same breath as those guys is an honour. It was more about what it meant to me.

“I was thinking about how incredible it was for me in my first Olympics. To be five Olympics on, to have five golds myself, I could never imagine that for one minute. That's something to tell the kids about.

“I remember walking about Sydney watching Steve with his five golds. I was happy with the bronze I won. I thought if I had to go to the dole on Monday at least I have won an Olympic medal. I never thought for one minute I would win five golds.”

Wiggins said his team pursuit team-mates, Ed Clancy, Steven Burke and Owain Doull were the most talented he had ever raced alongside. “The last 12 months, we have done everything together. Training camps, even cycling on Christmas Day. It was all for this. I wouldn't have come back if there wasn't the talent.”

The GB team was behind over the first 3,000 meters as the Australians went for broke. But over the closing two laps Wiggins and Co reeled them in to lower the world record time they broke in the heats, breasting the line in 3:51.659.

"It was a pretty spectacular race, but when you're in the middle of it, you're just focused on what you have to do. You're not really aware of what's going on. It wasn't until two laps to go that I even knew where the Aussies were. Now it's done, and it's more relief than anything.

“I was just saying to myself, thank God that's over. I don't have to live with this anymore. It's gone now. Two years ago, all this press has been building up. I never underestimated it for one minute, I gave up the road, and gave up the big salary and I was just a number again.

"I wanted to go out with this. I wanted it to end like this. Not some crappy little race in northern France - Paris-Tours - climbing off in the feed zone. It's brilliant."