Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bradley Wiggins plougs a lonely furrow(Image credit: Sirotti)
Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) receiving podium kisses(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) rolls to the finish line in Heiden(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
If Bradley Wiggins wanted to earn a chance to show himself to the Team Sky leaders with a stellar Tour de Suisse performance ahead of selection for the Tour de France, he wasn't helped by his fortunes. After falling ill and losing 2:25 on stage 3's hectic finish, a crash on today's fourth stage set him even further back.
Wiggins crashed into the barriers along with CCC Polsat's Jaroslaw Marycz at the end of the first of two final circuits, and took several minutes to remount and begin chasing down the peloton. In the end, he lost 11:55, and is now well down in the overall classification in 99th place.
His team reported this afternoon that his injuries were not serious.
"As for Bradley, he sustained grazing and bruising to the muscles on his right leg, which will be treated overnight and the team doctor will be reviewing his injury in the morning," directeur sportif Dan Frost said on TeamSky.com.
"Bradley has been carrying a mild chest infection from the weekend so he has been taking antibiotics and his condition has improved. Racing with this illness has affected him a bit, but he’s shown his commitment and has worked really well for the team."
Earlier this month, Wiggins aired his grievances at being possibly left out of Team Sky's Tour de France squad in an interview with BBC television. The 2012 Tour de France champion won that title despite barely reined in ambition from the subsequent Tour winner and teammate Chris Froome. Both riders have shown fine form and motivation in recent months, although Wiggins, should he earn a berth for the Tour, has stated that he would submit to the role of a helper.
Team principal David Brailsford was diplomatic about the team selection, stating last week that it would only be finalised after the Tour de Suisse.
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Wiggins has been ruminating over where to direct his focus, whether it be going back to the track for the Olympics in Rio in 2016, or to leave Team Sky and aim for another Tour de France title. There have been reports of discussions between Wiggins and Orica-GreenEdge, and Wiggins himself has stated that he may have to leave Team Sky to be allowed to ride the Tour again.
