Sir Bradley Wiggins has thrown his support behind Welsh cycling star Emma Finucane, backing the 22-year-old to reach even greater heights despite already sitting at the very top of world sprinting.
Finucane has had a meteoric rise through the ranks of track cycling, cementing herself as the best sprinter on the planet after a string of dominant performances on the international stage. But according to Wiggins, the Cardiff-born rider is nowhere near her peak yet.
The Tour de France winner and Olympic legend spoke glowingly about the young Welsh athlete, suggesting that what fans have seen so far is just the beginning. For a rider who has already claimed world titles and turned heads across the global cycling community, that is a seriously exciting prospect.
Finucane burst onto the scene with a level of raw power and speed that caught many off guard. She has since backed it up consistently, proving it was no flash in the pan. Her performances at major championships have drawn comparisons to some of the sport’s all-time greats, and now one of cycling’s most decorated figures is adding his voice to the growing chorus of praise.
Wiggins knows a thing or two about what it takes to dominate at the highest level. His own career saw him transition from track specialist to road cycling icon before returning to the velodrome to add more gold to his collection. That experience gives his words real weight when he talks about a rider’s potential trajectory.
What makes Finucane so special is the combination of natural ability and the kind of competitive mindset that coaches cannot teach. She races with a confidence that belies her age, and her technical development has been rapid. The Welsh Cycling programme and British Cycling setup have clearly played their part in shaping her into the force she is today.
Wales has produced some brilliant sporting talents over the years, but a reigning world champion sprinter is something genuinely rare. Finucane has given Welsh cycling a profile it has rarely enjoyed, and her success is inspiring a new generation of young riders across the country to take up the sport.
Her journey from promising junior to world number one has been swift but not accidental. Years of hard training, sacrifices, and a laser focus on improvement have brought her to this point. And if Wiggins is right, the medals and titles she has already collected are just the foundation for what comes next.
The 2024 Paris Olympics brought further attention to Finucane’s talents on the biggest stage sport has to offer. Competing under the Team GB banner, she showed she could handle the pressure of an Olympic Games and perform when it mattered most. That experience will only add to her arsenal going forward.
For Welsh sports fans, watching Finucane race has become one of the genuine highlights of the track cycling calendar. There is something thrilling about seeing one of your own not just competing at the top table but actually owning it.
With Wiggins in her corner and a career that is still very much in its early stages, the future looks incredibly bright for Emma Finucane. Wales has a world champion, and by the sounds of it, the best is still very much to come.
She’s absolutely brilliant isn’t she, proper talent. Wiggins knows what he’s talking about when it comes to cycling so if he reckons she’s got more in the tank then I believe him. Exciting times for British cycling!
Honestly she’s been absolutely brilliant this year, proper class act. Would love to see her dominate for the next decade or so. Wiggins knows what he’s talking about when it comes to cycling so if he reckons she’ll keep improving that’s good enough for me!