Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) says he will miss the 2014 Tour de France ‘as things stand’.
Champion in 2012, Wiggins, 34, missed last year’s race as a result of injury, though the build-up to the race had been be-set by the ongoing feud between him and Chris Froome.
However, having won the Amgen Tour of California last month, Wiggins had told reporters he was happy to be part of Froome’s support team when the race rolls out of Leeds this year.
In an interview with BBC Breakfast this morning, however, he admitted it will not be happening – much to his disappointment.
“I am gutted,” he said. “I’ve worked extremely hard for this throughout the winter and up to the summer. I feel I am in the form I was two years ago.
“But I also understand that cycling is a team sport and it is all about Team Sky winning and Chris is defending champion.”
Wiggins competes this month at the Tour de Suisse, while Froome fine-tunes his preparations for the defence of his Tour de France title at the Criterium du Dauphine, due to start on Monday.
Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford had said selection for the Tour will not just be based on the Dauphine squad.
However, it would now appear Wiggins, at least, will not be on the start line on Saturday July 5.
