A golden day for Britain: Bradley Wiggins wins cycling time trial

SURREY, England -- Cyclist Bradley Wiggins is having quite a summer, and his British compatriots got to share in his joy on Wednesday.

Wiggins, the Tour de France winner, won the men’s Olympic time trial by covering the 44-kilometer course that began and ended at Hampton Court Palace in an impressive 50 minutes, 39.54 seconds.

It was the fourth gold and seventh Olympic medal overall for Wiggins, making him the most decorated Olympian in British history.

Crowds lined the course and roars broke out at the finish line as Wiggins earned the second gold medal of the day for British athletes. A few hours earlier, rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won the women’s pairs event at the Eton Dorney rowing venue.

Tony Martin of Germany was second in the men’s time trial in 51:21.54, and Britain’s Christopher Froome took the bronze in 51:47.87.

Taylor Phinney of Boulder, Colo., finished fourth in 52:38.07, more than 50 seconds off the podium. He was the only American cyclist in the race.

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