Wiggins in hospital after being hit by car

Londo, Nov 8: Tour de France champion and Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins was in hospital after being hit by a car while riding his bike near his family home in Lancashire, north-west England, police said.

However, a police spokesman yesterday said the British cycling star's injuries were "not thought to be life-threatening".

Wiggins, 32, was thrown off his bike when hit by a car believed to have pulled out of a petrol station before colliding with him. Wiggins is known to often go for training rides on rural roads in the area.

The accident happened at approximately 6:00 pm (1800 GMT) in Wrightington Lancashire, near Wiggins's family home in Eccleston and took place just months after he called for drivers and cyclists to "co-exist" following a fatal accident near London's Olympic Park.

The driver of the car that hit Wiggins, a local woman, was said to be unhurt.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "Police were called to the scene of a road traffic accident at Crow Orchard Road in Wrightington at about 6:00 pm this evening.

"A cyclist has been involved in a collision with a white Vauxhall Astra car. The rider of the bike, a 32-year-old local man, was taken to hospital by ambulance with injuries not thought to be life-threatening.

"His family have been told."

Wiggins rides for Team Sky and in a statement on its website the British road race outfit said: "We can confirm that on Wednesday evening Bradley Wiggins was involved in a road traffic accident whilst riding his bike near his home in Lancashire.”

"He is being kept in hospital overnight for observation but the injuries he has sustained are not thought to be serious and he is expected to make a full and speedy recovery.”

"We will announce more details in due course."