Although born in Belgium, Sir Bradley, grew up in the area and first learnt to ride his bike in the park.

He quickly graduated to winning gold at the World Junior Championships in 1998 and two years later, when still a teenager, won a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympic Games, before gaining a full set of medals at Athens 2004 and two golds at Beijing in 2008.

However it is his success on the road in 2012 for which Sir Bradley will be best remembered as he followed becoming the first British winner of the Tour de France by taking a fourth Olympic gold medal in the time trial on his home streets in London the following week.

It led to him winning the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

The last season has not been quite as successful but, after missing his Tour defence through injury, he won this month's Tour of Britain and finished with a time trial silver medal at the World Road Championships in Florence last Wednesday (September 25).

The plaque at the Paddington Recreation Ground in Kilburn honouring Sir Bradley Wiggins


Sir Bradley's success marks the parks second claim to sporting immortality as another sporting knight in Sir Roger Bannister trained on the recreation ground's running track ahead of running the first ever sub four minute mile in 1954.

The plaque honouring Sir Bradley will sit along one honouring Sir Roger on the pavilion roof in the park.

The plaque was unveiled by Sir Bradley's grandmother Maureen Cousins alongside the Westminster Ward Councillor for Maida Vale, Jan Prendergast, at a community festival.

"Having worked to have a plaque put up to honour Sir Roger Bannister's connection with Paddington Rec over a decade ago, it became an ambition of mine to have a similar one put up for Sir Bradley Wiggins too," said Prendergast.

"It is incredible to think that the young boy who used to come down to Paddington Rec with his bicycle has become arguably the best cyclist in the world and a national treasure, taking Tour de France and Olympic glory in his stride last year.

"I'm delighted that we have been able to unveil this plaque and I'm very happy for his family too, who still live in the area and I know are very proud of what he has achieved."

Maureen Cousins (right), grandmother of Sir Bradley Wiggins, unveils a blue plaque Paddington Recreation Ground, where he learned to ride his bike

This praise for the transformation from budding wannabe to Tour de France champion was echoed by Steve Summers, Westminster City Council's Cabinet Member for the Community.

"Sir Bradley Wiggins is a shining example of what aspiring athletes can achieve and everyone in Westminster takes great pride in seeing just how well the former St Augustine's high school pupil from Kilburn Park has done," he said.

"From cycling at Paddington Rec in the 1980s, Sir Bradley has gone on to have a glittering career.

"His successes in last year's Tour de France and the London Olympics among the achievements which Westminster councillors were keen to acknowledge in some way, and so this plaque is a fitting start in doing that.

"I hope that in years to come many young people visiting Paddington Rec will see the plaque and ask who Sir Bradley Wiggins was, what he achieved, and be inspired by his success to get involved in sport." 

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