TEAM Sky yesterday scaled back their Tour de France ambitions after Bradley Wiggins’ podium bid appeared to come to an end.
The 30-year-old Londoner conceded four minutes 55 seconds to stage winner Sandy Casar (FDJ) on the 204.5-kilometre ninth stage from Morzine-Avoriaz to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, as Andy Schleck seized the race leader’s yellow jersey for the first time in his career.
Schleck leads Alberto Contador (Astana) by 21 seconds, with Wiggins 16th, 7mins 18secs adrift overall, after suffering on the 25.5km Col de la Madeleine, the 97th Tour’s first hors categorie (beyond category) climb.
Team Sky sports director Sean Yates believes the BSkyB-backed British team must now take some of the focus away from Wiggins and bid for a stage victory in the final 11 days of racing.
