Wiggins banged, but ready to charge ahead on Tour's pavé

tour de france, tour, tour de france 2010, team presentation

Sky's Bradley Wiggins appeared as if he had fallen out of the back of a speeding truck when he started today's Tour de France stage. Despite the scrapes from yesterday's crash, he is ready to confront one of this year's most feared days; the cobblestone stage to Arenberg.

"We have to go out and do the same thing: ride aggressively," said Wiggins. "The worst thing that could happen is that you could crash, break something and go home - this is your job, you have to do it."

Wiggins will have the help of one-day classics star, Juan Antonio Flecha, to help get the job done. Flecha has finished three times on the podium of Paris-Roubaix, which is a good thing. Today's stage features 13.2 kilometres of some of the worst paved roads in France, the same roads used annually in the Paris-Roubaix classic.

"Obviously, we have to attack it and we can't sit back," continued Wiggins. "Guys like [Thor] Hushovd and his [Cervélo] team will attack it and we don't know what Fabian [Cancellara of Saxo Bank] will do - if he will wait or go for it. There are a few teams that will really go for it today and we have to be one of them.

"Everyone knew this was coming and we just have to try to make the most of it."

The riders knew since the Tour de France route was revealed in October that the cobbles may affect the race outcome, but they didn't plan on yesterday's stage through the Ardennes to cause such a shack up.

Wiggins' former team-mate Christian Vande Velde was involved in crashes yesterday. He had dreamt of winning the Tour de France, but his dream will be put on hold because he was unable to start today due to fractured ribs and a cut eyelid.

"That is why I think I am lucky," added Wiggins. "I wasn't the only one to go down, all the other GC guys went down and we were lucky to still be in the bike race."

He recovered with the rest of the leaders and did not lose anytime in the overall classification, though, he disagreed with the parade-like pace led by former race leader Fabian Cancellara.

"I think it was just bullshit, to be honest. That's bike racing. No one waited for me when I crashed at the Giro. If it is a dangerous time trial prologue, Fabian ain't going to slow down and wait for everyone else."

Tour de France 2010: Latest news

Vande Velde abandons Tour following crash

Andy Schleck has a laugh after stage two crash

The Feed Zone: News and views (July 5)

Sky banks on Thomas ahead of cobbled stage

Cavendish's sprint train weakened with Hansen out

Armstrong under fire as Landis allegations reach mainstream

Team Sky's decision to put Wiggins off early back fires

Millar and Thomas hold their nerve in Rotterdam rain

Armstrong defiant in wake of latest revelations

Thomas looks to prologue and sporting new stripes|

Florencio kicked out of Cervelo team on eve of Tour

Tour teams presented in Rotterdam: What the riders said

Andy Schleck faces rough ride over Tour cobbles

Riis: Tour is the goal for Schlecks despite sponsor problems

Armstrong on Arenberg: There will be carnage

Cavendish set for green jersey battle at the Tour

Hunt and Lloyd look forward to making their Tour debuts

Tour de France 2010: Stage reports

Stage two: Comeback man Chavanel takes victory in Spa

Stage one: Petacchi wins in Brussels as bunch left in tatters

Prologue: Cancellara pips Martin to win

Tour de France 2010: Photos

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one gallery

Prologue photo gallery

Tour de France 2010: Videos

Stage one video highlights

Prologue video highlights

Tour de France 2010: Race guide

Tour de France 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

Official start list, with race numbers

Brits at the Tour 2010

Tout team guide

Tour jerseys: What they are and what they mean

Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Wiggins

Tour de France 2010: Pictures

Tour team presentation, Rotterdam

Tour teams take to the cobbles: Photo special

 

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