CYCLING: Bradley Wiggins soared to Britains first overall win in the Paris-Nice in 45 years with a cliffhanger victory in the final uphill time trial to Col DEze yesterday.

The 31-year-old Team Sky rider beat Dutchman Lieuwe Westra by two seconds in the 9.6-kilometre dash from Nice and eight seconds overall to claim his biggest victory since the Criterium du Dauphine last June.

Spains Alejandro Valverde finished third on the final podium, one minute and 10 seconds back.

Wiggins said he was proud to be one of just two Britons to win the eight-day stage race and the first since his hero Tom Simpson in 1967.

“I know my cycling history and this is an enormous achievement,” he said. “It’s an honour to be up there with Tom Simpson.

“To follow in Tom Simpson’s footsteps to become the second Brit to win . . . everybody else on the list – Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Indurain – its a massive thing.”