BRADLEY WIGGINS issued a scathing assessment of his Tour de France to date as he again fell down the overall rankings yesterday.
While Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador continued their duel for the yellow jersey by dancing up the incline to Ax-3-Domaines, Wiggins struggled once again as the 97th Tour went uphill in the Pyrenees.
The 30-year-old Londoner, three times an Olympic champion on the track and fourth in the 2009 Tour, conceded four minutes 59 seconds to Christophe Riblon (Ag2r La Mondiale), who won the 184.5-kilometre 14th stage from Revel to Ax-3-Domaines.
Wiggins now lies 18th overall, 11mins 30secs behind yellow jersey incumbent Schleck.
With six days of racing remaining, Wiggins said his form does not compare to 12 months ago, when he finished one spot off the podium.
Wiggins said: “Do you want me to be honest with you?
“I’ve got nothing. I just haven’t got the form. It’s as simple as that.
“I’m just trying my hardest, battling on, rather than give up.
“I just haven’t got it as I did last year. I don’t know why.
“I just feel consistently mediocre.”
