Pictures: The 2012 Tour de France

Bradley Wiggins, winner of the 2012 Tour de France cycling race holds the Union flag aloft during a parade after the last stage of the race in Paris, France. — Image caption,
Cyclist Bradley Wiggins has made history by becoming the first ever British winner of the Tour de France. Thousands of British fans turned up to see the triple Olympic champion cross the finish line on the Champs Elysees in Paris on Sunday afternoon.

Overall leader in the yellow jersey, British Bradley Wiggins parades with his son at the end of the Tour de France. The cycling race started in Rambouillet and finished in the famous Paris-Champs-Elysees Avenue, on July 22, 2012.

Bradley wasn't alone when he finished the race - here he is riding with his son who has a matching miniature bike!

Bradley Wiggins, winner of the 2012 Tour de France cycling race on the podium of the the Tour de France cycling race in Paris, France, Sunday July 22, 2012.

As well as a smashing trophy, Bradley got a bunch of flowers and a cuddly lion to celebrate his win.

Tour de France 2011 winner Cadel Evans looks at a team member fixing a flat tyre caused by a member of the public who sprayed nails on the ground in the 191 km and fourteenth stage of the 2012 Tour de France.

The race didn't go without a hitch. A spectator scattered nails on the course and 30 riders had to stop to repair punctures to their tyres, including the defending champion Cadel Evans.

Bradley Wiggins aged 2 on his first ever bike. Bradley Wiggins as a boy.

Bradley was born in Ghent in Belgium, but grew up in London near to the Herne Hill Velodrome, where he started racing at the age of 12. Here's Bradley showing off his first ever bike when he was aged just 2.

Tejay Van Garderen of the USA and BMC Racing, white jersey winner, Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and SKY Procycling, yellow jersey winner, Peter Sagan of Slovakia and Liquigas-Cannondale and Thomas Voeckler of France and Team Europcar, polka dot jersey winner pose on the start line ahead of the twentieth and final stage of the 2012 Tour de France, from Rambouillet to the Champs-Elysees on July 22, 2012 in Paris, France.

Different coloured jerseys are given to cyclists - green for the best sprinter, white to the best young rider and yellow for the race leader. The snazzy red and white spotty jersey is for the cyclist that performs best on the uphill stages.

Frank Schleck riding in the 191 km and fourteenth stage of the 2012 Tour de France.

Not everybody completed the race. Cyclist Frank Schleck from Luxembourg pulled out after he failed a drugs test.

Bradley Wiggins of Britain kisses the trophy as he celebrates his overall victory on the podium after the final 20th stage of the 99th Tour de France cycling race between Rambouillet and Paris, July 22, 2012.

Here's Bradley kissing his trophy. He'll have to make room on his trophy shelf - he's already won three Olympic gold medals and seven World Championship titles - and he's hoping for another gold at London 2012.