Wiggins wins first pro stage race

Wiggins has been riding as a professional for eight years

Britain's Bradley Wiggins won the first stage race of his professional career at the Herald-Sun Tour in Australia.

Wiggins, 29, who has won six world titles and three Olympic gold medals on the track, took the race lead by winning Friday's 14km time-trial.

And he defended a five-second lead over Aussie team-mate Chris Sutton in a 15-lap circuit of Carlton, in Melbourne.

"My father was Australian, so I'm half-Australian I guess... to be here now as a winner myself is great," he said.

Garmin-Slipstream team boss Matt White opted to support Wiggins over Sutton, who won three stages of the race, in the final criterium stage.

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Londoner Wiggins - who was estranged from father Gary for much of his life - turned professional in 2001 but has only prioritised road over track racing since the 2008 Olympics.

He finished fourth overall in this year's Tour de France and has his sights set on overall victory in the world's biggest stage race before he ends his career.

Earlier this week he expressed surprise at his good form in the season-ending race in Australia.

"More beer and less bike riding seems to be the new recipe for success!" he joked on Twitter.