Four-time Olympic champion and former Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins is launching his own professional cycling team with the aim of providing more British gold in Rio.

Wiggins, who will continue to ride for Team Sky until April's Paris-Roubaix road classic before concentrating on his own Rio 2016 Olympic preparations, will lead the team which will comprise young home-grown riders.

The team, which will operate independently of British Cycling and focus on both road and track disciplines, will be called WIGGINS and will receive financial backing from Sky.

"Cycling has given me everything," Wiggins said in a statement. "Now I want to build something to inspire kids and to reach all those people who might be on the fringes of the sport. My message is simple: If I can do it, then so can you."

Wiggins, who in 2012 became the first Briton to win the Tour de France and also won the individual time trial at the London Olympics, will revert to the track in Rio where he will concentrate on the team pursuit.

He will be seeking a British record eighth Olympic medal.

Wiggins did not contest the 2013 Tour de France, riding the Giro d'Italia instead but withdrew through illness during the event. Chris Froome led Team Sky instead for both the 2013 and 2014 Tour.

In 2014 Wiggins won a Commonwealth Games silver medal in the 4000m team pursuit and is expected to contest the team pursuit at the Brazil 2016 Olympics.

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