Wiggins' Tour of California won't decide his Tour de France team selection

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Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) said Saturday that he doesn't believe his performance this week at the Tour of California will be a determining factor in whether he is selected for his team's Tour de France squad. But if he is on the start line, the 2012 Tour de France champion said, he will work for teammate and 2013 winner Chris Froome.

"I think for the dynamic of the team and how that's going to function in July, it's really I guess sort of Chris' team — it's been said in the press already — and the guys he wants around him," Wiggins said following stage 7 at the Tour of California, where he has worn yellow since winning Monday's stage 2 time trial.

"We still haven't raced together all year," Wiggins said. "And he's been successful in the last few weeks with the guys he's had around him. So we'll just have to see."

Team Sky director Kurt Asle Arvesen told Cyclingnews earlier this week that if Wiggins makes the team, he will ride in support of the defending champion.

"The way Froome rode last year, he's definitely it — it's Froome for the Tour," Arvesen said. "Bradley will be there to support Froome - if he wants to go, if he's selected and if he's in good form."

Wiggins has been impressive at the UCI 2.HC race in California. He took the overall lead after the individual time trial and currently leads Garmin-Sharp's Rohan Dennis by 30 seconds heading into Sunday's final stage in Thousand Oaks. Wiggins also finished ninth at Paris-Roubaix last month, but Arvesen believes he is not yet at his best.

"I've been on the path to the Roubaix and this, and that's been my goal," Wiggins said. "After this I've never really known what comes next in terms of race program or how I would fit into [the Tour de France] team. So I guess I'll just have to wait and see."

Despite the uncertainty, Wiggins said he wants to ride the Tour this year, especially as it starts in Yorkshire, England.

"I've always said from the start that, yeah, I'd love to be a part of that team," Wiggins said. "Obviously I'd love to be on the start line in Britain, but I understand also that I've had an opportunity at the Tour and I took it, and that's it not about pleasing the eight guys there.

"It's not just about being on the start line," he said. "It's about everyone doing a job, and Chris being confident in the team that he has. So I understand that now, and I'm pleased that I took the opportunity when I did."