Wiggo, sideburns, scooters and yellow jerseys

Hardly had time to watch this year's Tour de France, let alone write about it as last year - for reasons too tedious to go into, but had to post a belated comment on Bradley Wiggins ride into history.

He may be efficient rather than flamboyant on the bike, he's certainly benefited from the no expense spared team Sky have built around him, but every other rider who laid down a challenge, got an answer from the Kilburn Mod.

But that's not the best of it.  Wiggins, you suspect to the frustration of the team Sky PR machine, is not media trained to within an inch of his life, to trot out bland platitudes.  Ask him a question and you'll get an answer.  As demonstrated by Wiggins f-word strewn response to yet another insinuation about just how it was possible to ride clean and achieve all Wiggins has this season.  For a slightly more reasoned variation on that, see Wiggins excellent tour blog from The Guardian here.

That's still not the best of it.  We know he collects scooters, loves real ale (although I suspect that's a strictly rationed indulgence at the moment) and may own a record or two by The Jam.  But better still than all that, was his reaction as he stood on top of the podium as the newly crowned winner of the Tour de France.

Remember, this is probably the peak of his professional life.  It's certainly a moment in British sporting history... and how does Bradley start his victory speech?

"OK, now it's time to draw the raffle..."

And then, just for good measure, one of the all time great British sporting achievements was marked with this signing-off message to the thousands of flag waving supporters on the Champs-Elysées; 

"Safe journey home - don't get too drunk!"

You aren't going to get that from the likes of Roger Federer any time soon.  Which is one more reason to be thankful for a real champion and a real decent bloke with it.

Of course, success in a 'minority' sport will be overshadowed by the Olympics and the usual preening overindulgence of professional footballers.  But, regardless of what happens in the Olympics, what Bradley Wiggins has already achieved should make him an absolute dead cert Sports Personality of the year.  

Talking of dead cert's for gongs, I doubt you could even get odds of a double knighthood next honours list for Wiggins and Team Sky main man Dave Brailsford.