Bradley Wiggins to ride Tour de Suisse; Chris Froome in Criterium du Dauphine
Team Sky's two Tour de France winners headline two traditional Tour warm-up races in June
Bradley Wiggins will lead Team Sky at the Tour de Suisse, whilst Chris Froome takes the helm at the Criterium du Dauphine as this year's Tour de France draws near.
Although Froome's place on Sky's Tour de France roster is a given, there is still some doubt over Wiggins' selection for the nine-man line-up.
Froome will be in action first, lining up to defend his Criterium du Dauphine title in France from Sunday (June 8). Froome has already had a busy week, riding the routes of the opening two stages of the Tour in Yorkshire before riding the cobbled sections of stage five in France.
Froome is joined in the Dauphine by Richie Porte, Vasil Kiryienka, David Lopez, Mikel Nieve, Danny Pate, Geraint Thomas and Xabier Zandio. Porte, Lopez and Nieve accompanied Froome on their recce of the Yorkshire stages, with Thomas joining them on the cobbles after winning Bayern-Rundfahrt on Sunday, indicating that their place on Sky's Tour squad is almost a certainty.
Wiggins' Sky line-up for the Tour de Suisse (June 14-22) comprises Dario Cataldo, Philip Deignan, Jow Dombrowski, Peter Kennaugh, Christian Knees, Luke Rowe and Ben Swift. It's a mixture of riders from Sky's Tour of California and Giro d'Italia line-ups, with Kennaugh returning after skipping the Giro due to illness.
"Bradley heads to Switzerland with a strong team after a great win in [Tour of] California and we've got the right group for the Dauphine, especially considering the nature of the course," said Team Sky principal David Brailsford.
Brailsford remains tight-lipped about his selection for Sky's Tour de France squad, saying: "Both of these races will form part of our selection for the Tour. We have to name 13 riders in a long list during June and we'll do that from across the squad, including riders at the Route du Sud, not only those in the Dauphine and Tour de Suisse groups."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Wiggins has said that he would support Froome if he were selected for Sky's Tour line up. However, questions remain about the level of animosity between the two riders, particularly in the wake of Froome's new book, The Climb, which appears to pull no punches regarding their fall-out during and after the 2012 Tour.
It falls in the hands of Brailsford to decide whether the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle of two British Tour de France champions starting the race on home soil will become a reality. Many fans would be sorely disappointed to be denied this sight on July 5.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
National Cycling League announces 2024 season hiatus citing 'current economic challenges in domestic and global cycling industry'
Effective immediately, the NCL paused all its operations in order to focus on restructuring and rebuilding for the 2025 season.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Welsh Grand Départ for first ever Tour of Britain Women, British Cycling confirms
Race will get underway in Welshpool before concluding in Greater Manchester four days later
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Bullying isn't allowed in other workplaces, professional sport should be no different
Comments about Julian Alaphilippe are just the latest in a long line of examples of bosses in sport going too far
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘I feel lucky to be alive’: Magnus Sheffield speaks for the first time about Gino Mäder’s fatal crash
The American describes what he saw at the Tour de Suisse, eight months after the tragedy
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tom Pidcock: Tour of Britain route 'not really ideal for me'
Brit says he wants to win home stage race, even if the course plays in Wout van Aert's favour
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Gino Mäder dies after Tour de Suisse crash, aged 26
'His talent, dedication, and enthusiasm were an inspiration to us all,' says Bahrain Victorious boss
By Tom Davidson Published
-
This 39-year-old INEOS Grenadiers rider moonlights as a pro triathlete
A Jack of all trades, Cameron Wurf is a domestique for INEOS Grenadiers professional cycling team, but doubles as a successful pro triathlete.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers' only female rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot eyes road return
Mountain bike legend could be back in the peloton next year
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Bradley Wiggins says he suffered ‘borderline rape’ during three years of 'abuse' by coach
Speaking on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, Wiggins says he now “hates cycling” and only ever used the sport as a distraction
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Bradley Wiggins might not be a TV pundit for much longer: 'I just want a normal job really'
Tour de France champion says that he doesn't still want to be on Eurosport in 10 years, and he thought about being a social worker
By Adam Becket Published