SIR Bradley Wiggins’ return to competition has been confirmed, with the five-time Olympic cycling champion swapping his bike for an indoor rowing machine.
British Rowing yesterday announced Wiggins’ participation in the December 9 event at the Lee Valley VeloPark, formerly known as the Olympic Velodrome.
“On Saturday, December 9, Sir Bradley Wiggins, five-time Olympic champion, will take on the best of the GB Rowing Team at the British Rowing Indoor Championships,” British Rowing said.
Wiggins this week broke his silence on UK Anti-Doping’s lengthy investigation into allegations of wrongdoing in cycling, saying it has provoked a “malicious witch hunt” that has proved to be a “living hell” for his family.
In a statement posted on his social media pages, Wiggins welcomed Wednesday’s announcement by UKAD that it was closing a 14-month investigation into the package – contained in a jiffy bag – that was delivered to his Team Sky doctor at the end of the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine race in France which Wiggins won.
As UKAD has been unable to prove what was in that package, commonly refereed to as the Jiffy bag, it said no anti-doping charges would be brought.
While this has “pleased” Wiggins, the 37-year-old has criticised UKAD for not issuing an “unqualified finding of innocence” and said he will consider his legal options.
Wiggins, after winning a fifth Olympic gold in Rio last summer, retired from cycling while under investigation.
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