The Union Jack is flying high at the Tour de France with David Millar, Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas all occupying top 10 positions in general classification after four stages.
Garmin-Cervelo road captain Millar, who helped his team win stage two’s team time trial to put world champion Thor Hushovd in the yellow jersey, occupied second after stage three, locked on the same time as Hushovd.
And the 2010 world time trial silver medallist limited his losses to eight seconds on Tuesday’s Mur-de-Bretagne finale but was leapfrogged by stage winner Cadel Evans and Leopard-Trek rider Frank Schleck.
Wiggins, who arrived at the Tour in fine form having won the Critérium du Dauphiné and National Road Race Championships in June, climbed to sixth overall, 10 seconds adrift of Hushovd, after battling to 11th on the category three finish.
The 31-year-old Wiggins relieved Geraint Thomas of the national champion’s jersey in Northumberland and Welshman Thomas, wearing the white jersey for best young rider, sits seventh in the general classification, 12 seconds behind Hushovd.
Sprinters Ben Swift (Team Sky) and Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) lie 49th and 94th respectively.
General classification
1. Thor Hushovd (NOR/Garmin-Cervelo) 13h 58m 25s
2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) +1″
3. Frank Schleck (LUX/Leopard-Trek) +4″
4. David Millar (GBR/Garmin-Cervelo) +8″
5. Andreas Kloden (AUS/Radioshack) +10″
6. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/Team Sky) same time
7. Geraint Thomas (GBR/Team Sky) +12″
8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/Team Sky) same time
9. Andy Schleck (LUX/Leopard-Trek) same time
10. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN/Leopard-Trek) same time
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49. Ben Swift (GBR/Team Sky) +2′ 06″
94. Mark Cavendish (GBR/HTC–Highroad) +4′ 22″
