The London 2012 time trial gold medallist clocked 56min 25.52sec for the 47.1 kilometres route to win by an emphatic margin of 26.23 over three-time defending champion Tony Martin of Germany.

Martin, second to Sir Bradley at London 2012, was again forced to settle for silver as he rode home in a time of 56:51.75, while Tom Dumoulin of The Netherlands finished in 57:06.16 to take bronze.

The win was a first for Britain in 20 years, when Chris Boardman won the first edition of the individual time trial during the 1994 World Championships in Agrigento, Italy.

"I don't know what to say," said Sir Bradley.

"I knew coming into it that I had the legs.

"Once I saw the course, I knew that if I was ever to beat Tony again, it was on a course like this.

"It's been an up and down year.

"I'd like to dedicate this to my family.

"I didn't ride the Tour and my wife and kids were there for me the whole summer, when I was at home in July.

"This is my last World Time Trial Championship and I finished with a gold - job done."

Sir Bradley Wiggin's team of 56 min 25.52sec ensured he topped three-time defending champion Tony Martin by an emphatic 26 seconds ©Getty Images



Martin had secured gold ahead of Sir Bradley at both the 2011 and 2013 World Championships, while also winning in 2012, when Sir Bradley did not participate.

The Briton was behind Martin coming into the first time-check, before moving 2.62 ahead at the second.

The 34-year-old increased the lead to nine seconds by the third time-check and motored to the finish line to record his first gold on the road at a World Championships.

Wiggin's has had a difficult 2014 after being left out of Team Sky's Tour de France squad, an event he won in 2012, before settling for silver behind Australia in the team pursuit at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, a Games in which he has never won gold.

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