Sir Bradley Wiggins wrote another chapter in a glittering cycling career with victory in the men’s world time trial championship.

The Brit put in a dominant performance across the 47.1-kilometre course in Ponferrada, northern Spain, to win gold by 26 seconds and seal one of the biggest honours of his storied career.

Wiggins’s time of 56 minutes and 25 seconds saw the Team Sky rider capture the coveted rainbow jersey, adding to his Olympic title on the road in 2012, after fending off nearest rival Tony Martin.

Overturning a deficit of four seconds at the opening intermediate split, a controlled ride saw Wiggins gradually put time into his competition, extending his margin over a gruelling final climb to finish as a resounding winner.

Completing the course in a speed of 50.1km/h, Wiggins joined Martin (Germany) and Tom Dumoulin (Holland) on the podium. Vasil Kiryienka was another Team Sky rider at the sharp end of the event with a fine fourth-placed finish.

In addition to his six world titles on the track, four Olympic golds, and a Tour de France victory, Wiggins is also a three-time national champion against the clock, as well as the national road race champion in 2011.

After learning he was the winner in Spain an overcome Wiggins admitted: "I don't know what to say.

"I knew coming into it I had the legs and when I saw the course I realised that if I was ever going to beat Tony again it would be on a course like this."

"It's been an up-and-down year and I want to dedicate this to my family. My wife and children back home have always been there for me and had to put up with me. This was my last world time trial championships, so to finish it with a gold medal - I don't know what to say."

After victory in the time trial at the recent Tour of Britain, Wiggins revealed he was comfortable heading into the event, despite the pressure," he told the Team Sky website.

"I've prepared for things like this so many times in the past and when I know the form and the condition is there, I'm quite relaxed. I know what I have to do once I get out on the bike, so it's just a case of waiting all day. The weather turned out good and I had a good team time trial on Sunday - I knew I was strong there so... job done."

"I knew the difference would be made on that final loop. I paced it perfectly and I still had gas in the final. Even on that last descent, I heard I was 10 seconds up but I was pushing all the way and not taking any risks. It was superb."

"The hour record is my next big goal now, but to add the world title to the British title and the Olympic title means I've got the set, so it's very good, fantastic," he finished.