Tour de France winner breaks ribs in crash

The 32-year-old Team Sky rider was kept in hospital overnight for observation.

A Lancashire police spokeswoman confirmed to BBC Sport: "Bradley has suffered broken ribs but the driver of the vehicle is not injured."

The police were unable to confirm how many ribs Wiggins had broken but Team Sky saidon their website:    "The injuries he has sustained are not thought to be serious and he's expected to make a full and speedy recovery."

The incident took place in the village of Wrightington, near Wigan, at around 18:00 GMT.

Garage attendant Yasmin Smith, who saw Wiggins shortly afterwards, told BBC Sport: "I was in the office and I heard a screeching of tyres and a bang.

"I ran outside and there was a gentleman on the pavement - I didn't realise who it was at first.

"He was in a lot of pain - he actually thought he had broken his ribs.

"His hands looked bruised and they were curled up a bit. And then his colour changed.

"He got put in a local person's car and when the ambulance came they attended to him immediately.

"His wife [tried to] hug him and he said: 'Don't, my ribs'.

"He was assisted [in] walking to the ambulance. He could stand up. I think his ribs and hands were the main concern."

The village of Wrightington is around three miles from Wiggins's family home in Eccleston and he regularly goes on practice rides around the rural roads in the area.

Wiggins, a father of two, is among the favourites to be named the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year after a stellar 2012 season that saw him become the first British winner of the Tour de France  in July as he triumphed for Team Sky.

He followed that in August by winning his fourth Olympic gold medal with victory in the time trial  at London 2012.

Source: BBC