Cuts » seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, le

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Peel back all those layers of fashionable mod clothing that Bradley Wiggins prefers when hes not on the bike and youll find the beating heart of a sentimentalist.Its why he returned to his first love, track cycling, after conquering the Tour de France.Its why he returned to the Olympics for one last shot at glory.Its why he intends to wrap up his long, decorated cycling career later this year at Six Days of Ghent, the first bike race that his father took him to as a child -- long before Wiggins would become the most decorated Olympian in British history.I have to go back to my next kind of historical base, he said late Friday night, after leading the British pursuit team to the gold medal at the Rio Games, the eighth Olympic medal of his career.My first memory as a child was to be there with my dad when he was racing it, Wiggins added, almost wistfully. Itll be a nice end to my career, back where I was born, back where it started.The road in between was certainly one for the history books.Wiggins first made a name for himself at the 2000 Sydney Games, a 20-year-old upstart helping Britain win team pursuit bronze. But it wasnt until the Athens Games four years later, when he won gold, silver and bronze in three different events, that he truly made the world take notice.He was the first British athlete in 40 years to win three medals at a single Olympics.Wiggins had more success at the 2008 Beijing Games, winning gold in the team and individual pursuits, before turning his full attention to the more lucrative and glamorous world of road racing.Many people thought he was crazy when he expressed his desire to become the first British winner of the Tour de France. Wiggins is gangly and powerful, attributes that suit him perfectly in the controlled environment of a velodrome but arent so good for climbing in the Alps.Yet over the span of several years, he virtually re-designed his body. He became leaner, stronger and built up his endurance, becoming the centerpiece of the powerhouse squad of Team Sky.He accomplished his goal in the unforgettable summer of 2012.A few weeks later, he completed a rare double by winning the time trial at the London Olympics, rooted on by a home crowd at Hampton Court Palace still relishing his yellow jersey in Paris.Wiggins came to a crossroads at that point, not quite sure which direction to take his career. He ultimately began a slow retirement from the pressures of road racing, only to decide that he wanted to take one last stab at an Olympic medal in the team pursuit -- the event that started it all.Inside the hot velodrome at the Rio Olympics, Wiggins managed to accomplish yet another goal.Bradley is a freak of nature, at the end of the day, British teammate Owain Doull said. Its just a testament to how talented an athlete he is that he can just pick a goal, whether thats the Tour de France or Paris-Roubaix or the Olympics, and he can go and get it.Wiggins was tied with retired track cyclist Chris Hoy with seven medals apiece before winning his gold Friday night. It was his fifth gold medal to go with a silver and two bronze medals.You ask anyone from any country, anyone who has ever raced him -- hes one of the worlds best, said Jack Bobridge, who has competed against Wiggins on the road and was part of Australias silver medal team that lost to Britain in Rio. When he talks the talk he walks the walk.He did it in memorable fashion, too. Wiggins helped push the team of Doull, Ed Clancy and Steven Burke to a time of 3 minutes, 50.265 seconds in the finals, lowering their own world record.Hes just a phenomenal athlete. It comes down to that, I think, Bobridge said. When he wants something he can get it. If anybody said they dont look up to him, theyd be lying.Not everything has been smooth sailing for Wiggins.He is a staunch opponent of doping in cycling, an altruistic stance but one that sometimes upset the establishment in a sport where performance-enhancing drugs had become endemic. Wiggins also began to drink heavily after his early success, though he stopped following the birth of his son.For the most part, though, everything Wiggins set out to do hes accomplished.Its just more relief than anything, he said after his gold-medal effort. I can wake up Monday and not have this as a burden. You live with it every day. Its gone now.Wiggins plans to ride the Tour of Britain next month, then tackle a few six-day races -- track events where teams of two riders see how far they can ride over six days of competition.It will all end at the Six Days of Ghent, the one that holds so much meaning to him.I take it back to Sydney in 2000 and what that meant to me as a 20-year-old, wandering around there, he said. I came away with a bronze medal there and I thought to myself, `This is it. If I have to go to the job center tomorrow and get a job, I can say I have this bronze medal. And to be 16 years on with five gold medals myself, I never imagined that for one minute. ETwaun Moore Jersey . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Jrue Holiday Jersey . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-ETwaun-Moore-Pelicans-Jersey/ . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. Jahlil Okafor Jersey . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. Jahlil Okafor Pelicans Jersey . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Samoan centre Alofa Alofa has signed a new contract at Harlequins.Alofa joined the Aviva Premiership club on an initial one-year deal at the end of August and has gone on to make seven appearances.I am honoured to have extended my time with Harlequins, he said. Since joining in the summer, my family and I have settled in well.There is a great buzz around training and Im excited to be able to play my part for the next few years.Capped three times by Samoa, Alofa joined Harlequins from La Rochelle and has previously playyed for the Waratahs, West Harbour and rugby league club, Sydney Roosters.ddddddddddddHarlequins director of rugby, John Kingston, said: Alofa has impressed me hugely in both his attitude towards his necessary rehabilitation in the summer and now his day to day training and playing standards.He is a fabulous talent and I have made the swift decision to extend his original one-year contract. ' ' '