Bradley Wiggins & Lizzie Armitstead among Brits on top of the world
Friday 6 November 2015 08:17, UK
Great Britain has underlined its status as one of the world's leading cycling nations with a hugely successful 2015.
British riders have won world titles and World Cups, broken world records and triumphed in marquee races.
Here, in chronological order, we look back on an all-conquering year…
Dame Sarah Storey: Quadruple world champion
Dame Sarah Storey added to her already staggering medal collection by winning no fewer than four world titles in 2015.
Two came at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in March, in the C5 500m time trial and C5 3km pursuit, while two more followed at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in the summer, in the C5 road race and C5 time trial.
Jody Cundy: World champion
Jody Cundy claimed the 13th world title of his career at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, winning the C4 1km time trial.
Sophie Thornhill and Helen Scott: Double world champions
Sophie Thornhill and Helen Scott came away with two sets of rainbow jerseys from the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships after winning both the women's B 1km time trial and the women's B sprint.
Neil Fachie and Peter Mitchell: Double world champions
Neil Fachie and Peter Mitchell echoed the achievements of Thornhill and Scott by winning the men's B 1km time trial and men's B sprint at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships.
Alex Dowsett: UCI Hour Record holder
Britain's world-beating spree continued when Alex Dowsett broke the iconic UCI Hour Record.
The 27-year-old eclipsed Australian Rohan Dennis' previous best mark with a distance of 52.937km at the Manchester Velodrome in May.
Sir Bradley Wiggins: UCI Hour Record holder
Dowsett's UCI Hour Record stood for only a month, because Sir Bradley Wiggins smashed his effort by covering 54.526km at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London in June.
It was the second biggest record-breaking margin in the history of the event and largest since 1894.
Chris Froome: Tour de France winner
The Union Jack was flying once again when Chris Froome won the Tour de France for the second time in July.
His 1min 12sec triumph over runner-up Nairo Quintana was the third time in four years that a Briton had won the world's biggest and most prestigious cycle race.
Rachel Atherton: World Cup winner and world champion
British success wasn't confined to just the men, because over in mountain biking, Rachel Atherton won the overall UCI Mountain Bike World Cup downhill title for the fourth time in August.
The 27-year-old won six of the seven events - finishing second in the other - and to underline Briton's dominance, compatriots Manon Carpenter and Tahnee Seagrave finished second and third respectively.
Atherton then completed the perfect fortnight by adding the downhill world title to her World Cup triumph in Vallnord, Andorra, at the start of September. Carpenter was once again the runner-up.
Lizzie Armitstead: World Cup winner and world champion
A week after Atherton sealed the mountain bike World Cup, Lizzie Armitstead repeated the feat for Britain on the road. The 26-year-old won three of the nine UCI Women Road World Cup events to comfortably retain her 2014 title.
And Armitstead then confirmed her status as the best in the world by claiming an historic victory in the World Championship road race in Richmond, United States. She defeated Anna van der Breggen in a sprint finish to become only the fourth Briton ever to win the title.
Liam Phillips: World Cup winner
Armitstead was still in the thick of her celebrations when Liam Phillips added another global title to Britain's collection the following day by sealing victory in the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup.
The 26-year-old won three of the series' five events to retain his 2014 crown.
