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Frustrated Wiggins admits defeat

ESPN staff
July 19, 2010
Bradley Wiggins trails leader Andy Schleck by 11.30 © Getty Images
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Bradley Wiggins has admitted his impressive fourth-place finish at last year's Tour de France was a 'fluke'.

The Olympic champion narrowly missed out on a podium place on his Tour debut last summer, prompting hopes of a first British winner. But after slipping to 18th in the general classification, more than 11 minutes behind leader Andy Schleck, Wiggins admits his chances of a podium place have all but disappeared.

"Want me to be honest with you? I'm f****d, mate," he said after finishing almost five minutes behind winner Christophe Riblon on Stage 14. "I've got nothing. I just don't have the form; it's as simple as that. I'm not going to lie to you. I'm just trying my hardest, battling on rather than giving up. I just haven't got it as I did last year.

" I don't know why. I just feel consistently mediocre. Not brilliant, not shit, just mediocre. It's form - it's a funny old thing."

Wiggins was high on confidence heading into the Tour after an impressive debut for Garmin-Transitions last year, but the Team Sky leader admits his success was unexpected. "Obviously I fell into superb form. I was riding on cloud nine most of the race. Last year was a bit of a fluke. It was a fluke in the sense it wasn't planned."

But he refused to admit defeat and vowed to keep fighting to make up his 11-minute deficit on leaders Schleck and Alberto Contador.

"I'll keep pushing on, trying hard rather than sitting up," Wiggins said. "I'm not giving up on anything at this stage. It's a funny old race at the moment. Tomorrow I might have a good day. It's difficult to say. All you can do is keep pushing on."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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