• Tour de France

Wiggins primed for Tour assault

Bradley Wiggins will have to put in a big effort over the course of the next three weeks © Getty Images

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Bradley Wiggins has insisted no stone has been left unturned ahead of his tilt at the Tour de France.

Wiggins finished fourth in the world's most famous cycling race 12 months ago and hope is high in the Team Sky camp that the Brit can secure a place on the podium in Paris after three weeks of gruelling work.

The Olympic track star is not getting sidetracked by talk of victory, but claims he will not fail on account of a lack of preparation.

"I sort of stumbled across good form before the Tour and went to the Tour and realised through the three weeks what I was capable of doing," he told Sky Sports News of his efforts of 12 months ago. "But there was no plan going to it. And having done what I did last year, this year has all been about the Tour.

"We have not left any stone unturned, the attention to detail on the equipment, the reckie on the stages and the major climbs, so when we get there we know exactly where we have to be and what gears to use and those kind of things. It is a full-on approach."

Alberto Contador is a hot favourite to defend his title and Wiggins is not getting carried away by the prospect of dethroning the Spaniard.

"I don't worry about things like that," he said. "I'll still get paid at the end of the month whether we win or not. It won't be for the want of trying and everything has been done to be in as good a shape as possible. I am in better shape than last year, but when I come home it is still the same whatever I do on the bike.

"Look at the England football team. They got built up and people who build you up and are just as quick to bring you down, so I just let them get on with it and do what I can do."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.