Sky Procycling rider adds road gold to time trial title
With less than a week to go to the Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins has taken his second major victory this month, adding the British road race title to his Critérium du Dauphiné win.
Wiggins beat Sky Procycling team-mates Geraint Thomas and Peter Kennaugh by 35 seconds in the 122 mile race in Stamfordham, Northumberland. In fact, the team’s dominance was such that it also took fourth, with Ian Stannad finishing five minutes 41 seconds back.
It had a large representation in today’s race and worked its way into a very strong position with regards the general classification when it had six riders in the day’s crucial twelve man break. With 50% representation in the move, it made the team the clear favourites and Wiggins and the others didn’t disappoint.
“Everyone wants to win this race. It means everything to me,” said Wiggins. He succeeds team-mate Thomas, who won last year and got to wear the jersey in the Tour de France. Significantly, Wiggins is also the current time trial champion after his success last September, and so can don white in both road and time trials.
“I wear that time-trial jersey with absolute pride and now to go into the Tour and battle through in the British champion’s jersey…it’s going to be fantastic.”
Like many of those who will be competing in the Tour, Wiggins had one last chance to test his form today. It also gave him the chance to get in a racing sharpener after his post-Dauphiné break. He passed that test with flying colours.
“Shane Sutton said he wanted me to empty it today, win or lose,” he said, referring to the Sky Procycling coach. “But I certainly could have gone another few laps – that’s the form I’m in at the moment. That was ideal for me today. Once we actually got in the break it was like a long time-trial.”
The race comprised three laps of a large circuit followed by four of a smaller loop; the first time up the climb of the Ryals, the day’s break went. On the last of those three big laps, the Sky Procycling trio forged ahead and opened up a very considerable lead.
“I bided my time and it was a flat finishing circuit. I picked my spot two or three laps out and I thought ‘it’s all or nothing’, because I knew I wouldn’t beat G (Thomas) in a sprint,” Wiggins said, explaining why he jumped when he did. “I took my chance and I’m the fortunate one who managed to win it.”
Aside from the boost of taking a big win, Wiggins has received further feedback that his form is strong heading towards the Tour. He finished fourth in 2009, then had a difficult time last year and finished back in 24th.
Many wrote him off as a Tour contender, but his strong Dauphiné plus Sunday’s result will give his fans great encouragement.