Wiggins adopts Tour de France tactics to close in on British win
TOUR of Britain leader Sir Bradley Wiggins has revealed Team Sky’s tried and tested tactics, used to help him win the 2012 Tour de France, were the secret to retaining his
37-second advantage following yesterday’s fifth stage.
Irishman Sam Bennett scored his first-ever stage win with a sprint finish, while Wiggins rolled home in seventh just ahead of team-mate and closest Tour rival Ian Stannard.
With three stages remaining, starting in Devon today and climaxing through the streets of London on Sunday, Wiggins is in pole position to seal victory and believes he owes it all to his team.
“You’re nothing without your team and the boys rode all day to control the race,” he said.
“David Lopez and Ian left me with nothing to do other than sit there until the end. I don’t have the acceleration on the climbs that Dan [Martin] and Nairo Quintana have, but I time trial because I know how to pace my effort and it works – I won the Tour de France like that.
“It’s been a long road to get back to that level, but I’ve worked hard to be in this condition.”