text: There was no glorious Team Sky send-off for Sir Bradley Wiggins despite a terrific effort from the Briton in the Paris-Roubaix. The 2012 Tour de France winner is quitting the team in order to ride for his own squad, 'Wiggins', before a return to the track ahead of the Rio Olympics, and wanted to sign off from what he called a 'golden era' with a win in one of the sport's most prestigious races. But it was not to be as Germany's John Degenkolb produced the perfect race to cross the line first at the end of a gruelling 151-mile trek which took in 27 tortuous cobbled spells. Bradley Wiggins sits on the floor after failing to win his final race with Team Sky in the Parsi-Roubaix . Wiggins left everything on the road as he attempted to bow out in glorious fashion, but was unable to hold on . German John Degenkolb celebrates as he crosses the line, winning the race ahead of Wiggins in 18th . Wiggins did his best, breaking away with 32 kilometres left to shake things up at the head of the peloton, while he also made a late push, but in the end he had to settle for a place down the line in 18th as Degenkolb took the glory. In the process he became the first rider to take first in the Milan San Remo and Paris-Roubaix in the same year since Sean Kelly back in 1986. One of the sport's classic races, the one-day slog did not fail to disappoint, but the drama almost got out of hand at one stage as some of the riders had a lucky escape when a train sped through the tracks they were due to cross. Some of the field slipped across despite the safety barriers being down, while others were held at the gate before being able to resume. Degenkolb celebrates his win alongside Zdenek Stybar (left) and Greg van Avermaet (right) Wiggins led a breakaway with 32 kilometres remaining, but was unable to maintain his lead to win . After that interlude the drama returned to the saddle, although Sky's in-form Geraint Thomas was unable to play a part. Amongst the early front-runners he was unseated when he ran into a curb, while he also suffered injuries on the way which eventually reduced him to a participant. For Wiggins it was always going to be a case of leaving nothing on the road ahead of his next phase, which is to include a ride at the Tour de Yorkshire. He first made himself known in the race when he moved to the head of the peloton with 45 kilometres to go and, with 32 remaining he ditched the pack in a bid to reel in the leaders. The peloton drew him back but his intent was clear and he held pace with them until Greg van Avermaet and Yves Lampaert went for it on their own. Luke Rowe (right) finished ahead of Wiggins in the end, coming in eighth, Team Sky's best performance . The pair were joined by Degenkolb and then Zdenek Stybar and at this point it was clear Wiggins' race was run. He found some extra power to go it alone again but the top prize was no longer on the table for him and he was amongst the rest as Degenkolb won the race in two laps of the Roubaix Velodrome. In the end Luke Rowe was Sky's first man home in eighth, while Stybar and Van Avermaet took second and third respectively.
target: Bradley Wiggins finished 18th in the Paris-Roubaix .
  Wiggins is set to leave Team Sky to ride in his own squad called 'Wiggins'
  Race almost had dramatic incident when riders narrowly missed a train .