Wiggins stays with leaders in Tour de France
Bradley Wiggins (Garmin) again finished in the front group with all the big overall favourites on Sunday's Tour de France stage, handling the Col du Tourmalet with relative ease, despite riding under a scorching sun.
‘Twiggo’ as he has now been dubbed for his skinny build after losing seven kilogrammes to help his climbing, is still fifth overall, just 46 seconds behind race leader Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r) of Italy.
Wiggins is just 40 seconds behind overall favourite Alberto Contador (Astana) and only 38 seconds behind Lance Armstrong (Astana).
“There was no real big danger today, I just had to follow the wheels and stay out of trouble. The hardest thing was how hot it was and climbing the Tourmalet in those conditions, it was tough to get bottles up. Other than that it was a pretty easy day. It’s another day over and the Pyrenees are over now, so it’s been a pretty good first week for me,” he said after quickly getting through doping control and heading for a shower before the plane transfer to Limoges for the first rest day.
It was thought that Saxo Bank and Garmin might have tried to push the pace on the Tourmalet to drop Nocentini and force Contador into the yellow jersey, so that the Astana would have to defend the jersey next week. However, Ag2r and Nocentini were always in control on the legendary climb and so nothing happened in the battle for the yellow jersey.
“I don’t think Lance or Contador want to take the yellow jersey at this stage. They’re quite happy for Ag2r-La Mondial to ride through the next week, it takes the pressure of them a bit,” Wiggins explained.
Like Wiggins, Contador and Armstrong are waiting for the final week of the Tour and the testing stages in the Alps. That is where overall victory will be decided.
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“I’m just taking it day by day. I keep telling myself that it’s the same for everyone. If it’s hurting for me, it’s bound to be hurting for the other guys too. I just keep reminding myself about that," Wiggins said wisely, knowing that he has also got the stage 18 time trial to his advantage.
“If I’m still close to the classement by then, it’ll work in my favour. But it’s still quite a way off. I’m just going to take it day by day and not get everyone too excited at this stage.”
TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 LINKS
Tour de France 2009 - the hub: Index to reports, photos, previews and more.
STAGE REPORTS
Stage nine: Third French win as contenders content with ceasefirestage eight: Sanchez wins from break as Tour favourites cancel each other out
Stage seven: Feillu wins at Arcalis, Nocentini takes yellow, Contador leap-frogs Lance
Stage six: Millar's brave bid denied on Barcelona hill as Hushovd triumphs
Stage five: Voeckler survives chase to win his first Tour stage
Stage four: Astana on top but Armstrong misses yellow by hundredths of a second
Live Tour de France stage four TTT coverage
Stage three: Cavendish wins second stage as Armstrong distances Contador
Stage two: Cavendish takes first sprint
Stage one: Cancellara wins opening time trial
LATEST TOUR NEWS
Tour de France 2009 News Index>>
Wiggins 'on cloud nine' at Tour de France
Armstrong says Contador attack wasn't in the plan
Cavendish survives the first Tour mountain stage with ease
Wiggins, the Tour de France overall contender, has arrived
The Feed Zone: Friday, July 10
Millar happy with Tour performance despite no stage win
Analysis: Fight for green jersey is between Cavendish and Hushovd
Wiggins looking ahead to Friday's mountain stage
Analysis: Why Contador's chances rose when Armstrong missed yellow
Delgado criticises Astana for Armstrong manoeuvre
Armstrong: Gaining time on Contador was not the objective
Stage three analysis: Why the bunch split and who gained the most
EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS
Garmin-Slipstream's HQ before the Tour
David Zabriskie's time trial bike
Mark Cavendish on the Tour's team time trial
David Brailsford interview
Mark Cavendish on the Tour
Jonathan Vaughters on Bradley Wiggins' chances
TOUR DE FRANCE 2009 PHOTOS
Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage seven photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage four TTT photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson
Stage one photo gallery by Andy Jones
Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson
Team presentation by Andy Jones
Team presentation by Graham Watson
TOUR GUIDE
Tour de France 2009 - the hub
Tour de France 2009: Who's riding
Tour de France 2009: Team guide
About the Tour de France
FEATURES
Tour de France 2009 on TV: Eurosport and ITV4 schedules
Big names missing from 2009 Tour de France
Tour de France anti-doping measures explained
Brits in the Tours: From Robinson to Cavendish
Cycling Weekly's rider profiles
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